I’m a gypsy living for free in a double-decker BUS with a shower…no one wants me here but it’s like winning lottery
A GYPSY who calls a double-decker home has opened up about how he lives for free - to the anger of his neighbours.
Neil Wainwright, 61, says his bus is kitted out with its own shower, toilet and kitchen and he absolutely loves it.
The former electromechanical engineer says he spent £6,000 and a further £26,000 to get the double-decker up to scratch.
Neil raised the floor in the bus to provide storage and has decorated it throughout with Spider-Man and comic book decor.
He also installed a 600-litre freshwater tank, 600-litre waste unit and a fridge on the lower deck.
The 61-year-old, who describes himself as one of the last English Gypsies, told The Sun: “Life is great on the bus, I love it.
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"I live like a king, everything in here looks really expensive but I’ve made it out of things I’ve found.
“I want to show people you don’t need loads of money to live well.
“I’m a gypsy. My name's Wainwright. It means wagon maker and I’ve lived in wagons all my life."
Neil had been living in the bus outside and empty council house for four years - but his neighbours in Falmouth, Cornwall complained.
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His bus has now been towed the local council's car park.
Neil said: "I think I’m likely to be here for 10 years before they find me a suitable site and I would happily give up my council house and somebody else can live there but they need to get me a 10-metre shipping container here and transport my things up.
“The council has done everything possible to stop me living in a wagon so me getting here is like winning the lottery.”
Neighbours spent years complaining about Neil's bus being parked on the street and say he intimidated them.
They also had safety concerns as he ran electric cables from the house to his bus.
But, the bus has now been moved on to the New County Hall in Truro - to the delight of residents.
Councillor Jayne Kirkham took to her Facebook page to apologise to Falmouth residents that it had taken so long to move Neil's bus.
She said: "The Glasney bus has gone. Finally, after a lot of sorting by an awful lot of people and this pushy councillor.
"Sorry it took so long to resolve a situation that was very difficult for everyone involved.”
Another councillor, Dulcie Tudor, told The Sun: "I must say I am at a loss to understand why such an awful lot of time, resource and taxpayers' money has been spent on this individual who refuses to live either on one the council's costly travellers' sites or in the council house which was provided for him in Falmouth for the last four years.
"I believe the council even bought him the double-decker bus. It's extraordinary really."
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Cornwall Council said: "As with any individual that we have a duty of care for, we have to take each case on its merits and find a solution based on the facts of the case.
"Our priority is to provide a place of safety, balancing the needs of the individual and local community."
