Car is crushed and rare parts lost as council clears out his garage

David Bradbury at the site of his garage.

A CLASSIC vehicle enthusiast claims his car was crushed and rare vintage parts lost after Oldham Council cleared his rented garage without telling him.

Distraught David Bradbury estimates the blunder could cost him tens of thousands of pounds and Oldham Law Centre is helping him take legal action.

The 1987 VW Polo destroyed was being repaired for its MOT and not worth a great deal of money — but the classic car parts are valuable.

The parts were being saved for a 1933 Morris Ten-Six two-door coupe, one of only three in the UK, which he has owned for 30 years and is renovating elsewhere.

A nickel-plated radiator cowl bearing the inscription “Morris Ten”, a set of steel wings, a set of green leather upholstery, a walnut veneer dashboard, interior revarnished woodtrim, a chrome headlamp and carefully labelled mechanisms such as engine valves and pistons have all vanished.

Mr Bradbury has rented a garage on Tomlinson Close for several years, but says the block of four was emptied by a demolition gang on October 3 without his knowledge. Afterwards, the council informed him the tenancy was terminated in July.

But he says he did not receive a Termination of Tenancy Notice and was still paying the weekly rent.

He was even sent a rent arrears reminder for £8.71 and a letter, dated September 18, assuring him the tenancy was not under threat.

Mr Bradbury said: “I’m gutted. I don’t know what’s going on at Oldham Council. They must have got their wires crossed to some tune and I appear to be suffering as a consequence.

“Thirty years ago parts were difficult to find for this particular model and any sources of spares have dried up completely.

“It’s the rarest car of the whole range. It’s a valuable car that is not restorable without these parts.”

The council has since written to Mr Bradbury claiming the garage was broken into just before the demolition, when the missing items could have been stolen. But Mr Bradbury says there’s no evidence, adding: “My suspicion is that the reported break-in may just be a smokescreen to absolve the authority of blame for the disappearance of scarce classic car parts.”

Mr Bradbury is also setting up a fighting fund for the Law Centre which is struggling to survive due to cuts in funding,

He added: “They have been absolutely terrific.”

A spokesman for First Choice Homes Oldham, which manages garages for the council, said: “This matter is currently being looked into by our legal team.”