Friends of former Hungerford and Newbury publican Edward Tame say Sovereign Housing have abandoned him after roof collapsed

AN old soldier and well known former publican is living in squalor after a leak caused his roof to partially collapse.

Edward Tame said Sovereign Housing have still not fixed a date to repair the damage to his home in Moores Place, Hungerford.

The 75-year-old, who served his country in the forces, has long been asking the association to move him to a smaller home.

But now a water leak has made his current place almost uninhabitable, he said.

Mr Tame, who was publican at The Borough Arms in Hungerford, at the former Clocktower pub in Newbury and the former Red Lion on the A4 near Hungerford, said his nightmare started weeks ago with a water leak.

He said: “I found a leak beneath the bath; a plumber came and fixed the pipe – but it was still dripping.

“Water was now coming through the ceiling into the living room.

“Then the ceiling came down; stuff nearly fell on my head.

“Another plumber came and fixed the second leak – but they’ve left me with a collapsing ceiling and now the floor downstairs is becoming warped, meaning I have to live upstairs.

“Everything is soaked and I’ve spent hours on the phone and filling in endless forms for them.

“Nothing seems to be getting done.

“It seems to me Sovereign are getting too big to care.”

A friend said: “It’s disgraceful the way he’s been treated after serving his country.

“He shouldn’t have to beg for help only to be told it will take weeks and weeks to repair a ceiling which, it seems to me, could be dangerous – not to mention the damp and the floor warping so badly you can barely walk on it.”

Sovereign Housing has been contacted for comment.