AN ELDERLY Uplyme woman who was forced to quit her home after a devastating landslide died of a broken heart, an angry relative has claimed.

Dorothy Hellier never returned to her Gore Lane bungalow which was severely damaged along with two nearby properties in May 2003.

Three years later Phil and Donna Heath and their neighbour Elizabeth Holmes continue to live in rented accommodation as their bitter fight for compensation continues.

They blame massive earth piling on the adjacent Barnes Meadow estate for the damage to their homes and say developers Wykeham Homes are responsible.

They have dismissed offers to patch up the properties and say they must be rebuilt.

But so far solicitors fighting their case have been unable to reach agreement with the insurance companies over who will foot the bill.

And the continuing upset and delay saw tempers flare again at last week's Uplyme Parish Council meeting - with a demand for action.

Speaking during the open forum Mr John Fowler said his aunt Mrs Hellier had died of a broken heart after the distress of losing her home.

Meanwhile the Heaths had been forced to live in several different homes since the landslide and Mrs Holmes' health had "gone downhill".

"Where is the justice in this world - there isn't any I am sure," he said. "We have people homeless for three years in this day and age!

Mr Fowler said that Mrs Hellier's estate could not be wound up because of the legal wrangling and the bungalow could not be sold because it was "valueless". And to add to the family's misery East Devon District Council had even sent her a demand for "rates" after she had died.

"That was disgraceful," he said.

The meeting also heard that Wykeham Homes' boss John Steven had apparently gone back on his initial admission that his on site works and the movement and weight of soil in the area were to blame for the damage.

Chairman Beryl Denham said that at a Barnes Meadow residents meeting last week he now claimed the rotational slip that caused the slide would have happened anyway because the area was historically unstable and it was not his responsibility.

She said that was "totally disgraceful" and she had had a real go at Mr Steven, telling him that as chairman a of a multi million pound business she thought he could have helped out the victims who had not been totally insured.

"Hopefully he has some sort of heart and will take it up," she said.

Coun Chris Sellers said Mr Steven had admitted the slip was probably caused by his contractor in an interview with the BBC - so it was on record.

Coun Pam Shirley who lives at Barnes Meadow said she told him at the very least he had a moral responsibility.

"But at that point he just looked at his shoes," she said.

"But I think he got the message," said Coun Denham.

Mr Fowler thought Mr Steven should buy the three damaged bungalows as he had done with a property in Whalley Lane which was holding up his development.

Coun Mason said he was prompted to do this because the owners' solicitors had slapped a stop notice on him - and it was a commercial decision. He thought it was cheaper than being held up.

Deputy chairman Jonathan Clarke-Irons said the landslide victims needed to get some joint legal help and take similar action.

Coun Denham said they had suggested in the first place they appoint one person but they all went in their own direction.