I’m the King of my own tiny castle after moving into a double-decker bus & converting it into a ‘luxury’ palace for FREE
A GYPSY has described how he is the King of his own tiny castle after moving into a double-decker bus and converting it into a "luxury'" palace for FREE.
Neil Wainwright, 61, from Falmouth, Cornwall, said he felt "imprisoned" in his council house - and preferred to live in the bus parked outside in Glasney Road.
The self-described gypsy grew up living in caravans and said that he felt more comfortable in the bus.
His bus is kitted out with its own shower, toilet and kitchen and he absolutely loves it.
He told the Sun: "Life is great on the bus, I love it. 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.
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"I'm a gypsy. My name's Wainwright. It means wagon maker and I've lived in wagons all my life."
Residents have been campaigning to get the big red bus moved from their residential street since it parked up there in 2019.
Now four years later, the bus has finally towed away - and taken to County Hall in Truro.
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.
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"The council has done everything possible to stop me living in a wagon so me getting here is like winning the lottery."
Local residents had long complained that the bus was a health and safety issue, and that they felt "intimidated" by Neil.
Announcing the news on her Facebook page, local Councillor Jayne Kirkham apologised that it had taken so long.
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."
Local residents became concerned about the bus after it was revealed that Neil had been powering it using an extension cable leading from his home's letter box.
Technicians from Western Power later visited the bus and concluded that they could not remove the power connection as it was "not illegal".
Councillor Kirkham added that Neil had now been moved to a "safe place" where he "had access to services".
Speaking previously, Neil said: "I want to live in my wagon, I don't want to live in a house. Five years I have been imprisoned in a house."
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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."
