WANTED. One home, preferably detached with room enough for a huge collection of... well, just about anything and everything!

Blackpool Womble, Dennis Bostock, 67, currently of no fixed abode, is thinking of house-hunting after spending the festive period being shunted between guest houses and hotels.

But the notorious pensioner, who served a six week jail sentence for environmental health offences last summer, is afraid his unusual rubbish hoarding habit might land him in hot water with the council again.

Mr Bostock said: "For almost three months I've been living in and out of hotels and it's not fair.

"All my life I've had my own home and paid my own way and I've never had to rely on anybody else.

"I am really happy in Blackpool, it's my favourite place and I never want to leave.

"But now I'm too afraid to buy another place here because I think that the council will be out to get me as soon as I move in.

"At my time in life, you want to be comfortable and know exactly where you'll be spending each night.

"I don't and it's making me miserable. I want a place of my own"

As reported in The Citizen (October 30), Mr Bostock spent five weeks living rough at his former address on Bloomfield Road after finding himself on the streets.

The semi-detached property was placed in the hands of Blackpool Borough council after he refused to pay outstanding council clearing debts of around £12,000.

The former council worker began staying in temporary accommodation but, since then, has been asked to leave a number of guest houses and Bed and Breakfasts in the resort.

He claims this came because of his bad reputation and says recent experiences have encouraged him to turn over a new leaf and curb his wombling ways.

Mr Bostock said: "I don't really blame the people at the places where I stay. I understand that they have a business to run and I do have a bad reputation as a result of my hobby.

"But, because I've been scared they won't let me stay, I've been making a real effort to stop collecting so many of the things that I find.

"Nowadays I only take small, good quality, clean items that I'll wear, read or look after.

"It's been really hard because, especially at this time of year, the bins are filled with really good stuff that I'm dying to keep. It's like rooting through a treasure trove."