Pensioner's huge bike collection leads to complaints from neighbours

Everyone knows that the right number of bikes to own is N+1, where N is the number you already have. But the neighbours of a Maidstone man whose bike collection has spilled out into his front garden and on to the street say he's taken it a bit too far.

David Watts insists his accumulation of bikes isn't scrap, but bikes he plans to repair or use for parts in his retirement business selling secondhand bikes.

He told Ed McConnell of Kent Online: "It's just a hobby that has got out of hand. I repair neighbours' bikes - if they bring one round I'll fix it for them.

"It's a bit untidy but I can't help that, I'm an untidy person. I need something to do in my old age."

But neighbours of the 73-year-old former driving instructor have complained to Maidstone Borough Council that Watts' piles of bike have turned his house into an eyesore, and the trailers parked outside are a traffic hazard.

The Council has been in touch with Watts about removing the bikes on the grounds that they were scrap, but he says they will all be repaired or used for parts. He does admit he accumulates bikes faster than he can sell them.

Watts told the Daily Mail he makes abut £50 a week selling bikes to locals.

He said: "People have a problem because they don't like my trailers being parked in the public parking bays but I'm not breaking the law.

"My wife isn't happy about the whole thing and she has banned me from keeping them indoors.

"But it is a little bit of extra money that helps us to tick by."

Watts looks after his disabled wife Maureen full time, but she's no fan of his bike habit, complaining that she can no longer do the gardening.

Watts appears to be completely within his rights and the law, though.

He said: "This is not council property, this is my house. I'm registered as a bike dealer and have a scrap metal license, but if I was a scrap dealer then I wouldn't keep it all here as that would be pointless.”

Maidstone council's parking services department told Kent Online that Watt's trailers are not in breach of parking regulations as they are not attached to vehicles.

One of Watts' neighbours said: "When David ran the scrap business from the same address I had no problem with it, but this has escalated now.

"He has more bikes than a cycle shop and it's getting to be a bit of an eyesore."

A Maidstone Borough Council spokesman said: "We have received complaints about the property being untidy and are looking into the issue."