A PENSIONER who has held out for 11 days against a council's attempt to evict him from an industrial compound says he has been "overwhelmed" with public support.

John Petch, known as Husky, 66, is refusing to leave the compound where he stores his collection of vintage machinery and curiosities.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council called in the sheriffs to clear the area on Monday, October 6 but the retired steelworker refused to budge.

And he said he has been overwhelmed by public support in the Dormanstown area of Redcar where he is based.

Mr Petch said staff from the Dormanstown Deli and workers from a hamburger van on Limerick Road bring him hot food while mothers dropping off their children at a nearby school often bring him a cup of hot tea.

"The people are for me, even if the council are against," said Mr Petch. "I have no intention of going anywhere. I don't know where it's all going to end, maybe the High Court."

Mr Petch said he is considering making a complaint against police for not intervening on his behalf when bailiffs tried to evict him. He also believes the council has got its paperwork wrong surrounding the eviction which may offer him a reprieve.

As previously reported in The Northern Echo, officers from Redcar council met some of Mr Petch's supporters on Monday in which it was proposed the pensioner continued to occupy a section of the site.

However the council has said that is not acceptable and the writ of of possession remains enforceable. The maintain that Mr Petch is illegally occupying what is a dangerous site.