Disabled woman trapped in home by uncollected skip
Nicola Haseler/BBCA disabled woman has been unable to leave her house after her skip was left uncollected by a waste management company.
Kerry Hawkins is one of hundreds of customers of Bobs Skips, based in Harvey Road, Basildon, Essex, who have been trying to contact the firm for weeks over their skip collection but have received no response.
Ms Hawkins, who lives in Basildon, has not been able to leave her house as her mobility scooter is unable to fit past the skip.
The BBC has contacted Bobs Skips for comment.
Ms Hawkins and her husband Rob paid in cash for a skip from the company in order to clean out their house before it went on sale.
They claim the skip has been sitting in their drive for up to a month and has made it more difficult for Mr Hawkins to get to work as he is unable to get his motorcycle out of his garden.
Ms Hawkins said the incident was "very frustrating, because as much as I have a disability, I am still independent, and want to be independent".
"But at the moment with this skip here, it has taken away my independence," she added.
Jodie Halford/BBCBobs Skips is listed on Companies House as having ceased trading in 2017, but it is understood the company continued operating under new ownership in recent years.
A BBC reporter visited Bobs Skips' premises on Wednesday, but nobody was there.
An employee of a neighbouring waste management firm said up to 12 people a day had been visiting the site, looking for answers.
He claimed more than 200 skips remained uncollected.
The Environment Agency has confirmed it suspended a permit to manage waste at an address in Harvey Road while officers investigated a potential breach.
"Specialist officers are investigating a potential breach of the permit, which was in place to ensure no activity posed a risk to the environment," a spokesperson said.
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