A sick pensioner has been living in misery in his damp and mould-infested flat for eight months.

Repairs to Philip Yarde’s home have been held up because both he and his neighbour need to move out during the work and suitable accommodation has not yet been found.

The delay has led to electrical equipment, including his oven and washing machine, not working.

As a result, the retired industrial engineer has spent hundreds of pounds on takeaways and relies on the generosity of friends to cook him meals.

Mr Yarde, who lives alone with his two dogs, said: “I am a proud and an independent man. I don’t like to depend on other people to make my food and help me out with washing.

“My kitchen equipment is stocked up in the living room and I have black mould in my bathroom and bedroom as well.

“I have forked out about £270 on takeaways since October which is a lot of money and not good for me.”

Mr Yarde, of Village View, Luton, has been renting from the Hyde Group for more than 20 years. He said he has always been a a reliable and loyal tenant.

He had to give up work through ill health and has had surgery to remove lung cancer.

He said: “I like living here. I don’t think it is unreasonable to move out for a couple of weeks while the work is done.”

Audrey Williamson, Hyde’s head of housing, said: “We would like to apologise to Mr Yarde for the delay to his repairs. We are trying to progress this as soon as we can.

“To complete the repairs we need to temporarily re-house both residents for a short period of time.

“We will continue to work with the resident above to find suitable accommodation that meets their needs so these works can be undertaken as soon as possible.”