A Cally landlord accused his tenants of being “too lazy” to tend to their gardens.

Bert Alexander was speaking at a town hall planning appeal. He wanted to build 12 garages to replace the unkempt gardens.

His plans were rejected by London County Council due to the loss of green space, although he was allowed to build six garages.

Mr Alexander, a landlord of two properties in Caledonian Road, moaned at the hearing: “The gardens are an absolute waste and a nuisance. Garages would be better as the gardens are a dump.”

He had not been able to get the tenants to develop them as they were “too lazy”.

Meanwhile, Islington’s oldest woman died.

Elizabeth Harding, of St Mary’s Grove, Canonbury, was 102. Her funeral took place in New Southgate. She had been a widow for 70 years after her husband died. She brought up five children by herself.