A couple returned from holiday to find their cottage without a wall and with no roof on the dining room after their neighbour made the "catastrophic decision" to demolish his Grade II listed home next door.

Joan and Geoff Peel found on their return that David Eckersall had torn down his mid-19th century home, leaving their adjoining late-18th century cottage with no proper gable wall, a hole in the bathroom and no roof on its dining room.

Eckersall has been ordered to pay more than £20,000 in fines and costs.