A CLASSIC car enthusiast from Okehampton has not been able to access his pride and joy since his garage came off worse in an altercation with a recycling lorry a month ago.

Paul Friend cannot open his garage door to see whether his car restoration project — a 1985 Mini — is intact until insurance claims are worked out between the housing association that owns the garage block and the waste company that owns the lorry.

The garages have been deemed to be at risk of collapse since the incident on January 20 when a recycling lorry collecting refuse on behalf of West Devon Borough Council collided with the block.

The roof was shunted and a crack opened up in the impact which has now led to the collapse of one of the end walls.

Paul said: ‘The driver was reversing in to pick up the recycling, which they do every week, and for some reason mounted the pavement and kept going and hit the corner of the garage.

‘The roof of the garages has slid a fair way, taking the walls with it. The garages are now in such a bad state they are talking about demolishing them.

‘I have been doing my car up for 15 years and I have no idea if it is damaged because the doors are jammed and we think the door to my garage is helping to support the other garages.’

He said his neighbour had also been unable to get his car out of the neighbouring garage.

‘He does rely on his car because he has got a brother in Bude who he goes to see at weekends,’ he added.

Paul rents his garage around the corner from his home in Moyses Lane from housing association LiveWest.

‘We have had health and safety people come out and others to do with LiveWest but nobody has ever come across this situation before and they are at a loss at what to do,’ he said.

He has also now been contacted by FCC Environment, which runs the recycling service on behalf of the council.

‘I think this is where the problem comes along because FCC Environment own the lorry and LiveWest the garages, so we have got to claim off LiveWest and they then have to claim off FCC Environment,’ said Paul.

‘On the day of the accident they were going to come back to me on the insurance.

‘I know that insurance companies take their time but I would feel a bit happier if they kept you informed.’

A West Devon Borough Council spokesperson said: ‘We are aware of the incident with the recycling vehicle and have spoken to our contractors FCC Environment who are liaising directly with the property owner to resolve this issue as soon as possible.’

LiveWest’s director of neighbourhoods James Reseigh said: ‘We have appointed quantity surveyors and are working with West Devon Borough Council insurers to make sure works are carried out as quickly as possible.

‘The safety of our residents is our absolute priority and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.

‘We are working hard to help our residents access their possessions and have also advised them to contact their contents insurance providers for additional support.’