A TROON artist feared he would lose a lifetime of work after a fire in a ‘neighbour from hell’s’ ground floor flat.

Andrew MacDonald, 49, has been unable to sleep for weeks and says the police have been out daily to deal with a disruptive neighbour on his street.

He claims the man has threatened to “kick in doors and stab people” and is a constant menace.

Ayr Advertiser:

The neighbour has since been moved to temporary accommodation after the flat was ravaged by flames in the early hours of Thursday, August 20.

Andrew told the Advertiser: “I’ve lived here for three years and since this guy has moved in it’s been four months of daily occurrences.

“There is just general noise, abuse and he keeps threatening to come through folks’ doors and stab them.”

Andrew was staying at a friend’s the night of the fire to try get a proper night’s rest, but he was woken by a call from another neighbour at 3am to say that the flat below was on fire.

He said: “A neighbour called me to say there was a fire. He was out his face, left something on a cooker and crashed out. The door was barricaded so the fire brigade struggled to get in.

“It could have easily got into my flat and my life’s work would have been ruined.

“I’ve just had to chase him down the street. He’s jumped out a taxi in a hospital gown and broken in to his flat.

“He’s ripped the boards off the back window and jumped in to get something then ran away.”

Police confirmed they had arrested a man after a man in connection with a disturbance on Sunday, August 9

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 2.30am on Thursday, August 20 to reports of a fire within a ground floor flat in Walker Avenue.

“Operations Control mobilised three appliances to the scene, where crews led one man to safety and passed him into the care of paramedics.”

A spokesperson for South Ayrshire Council said: “The occupant was taken to hospital, but has now been discharged.The council has provided alternative temporary accommodation.”