A town and county councillor could be threatened with legal action for failing to tidy up her ‘jungle’ of a garden which is allegedly attracting rats and mice.

Clare Cape, a town councillor for Chippenham, and Wiltshire Council’s ward member for Pewsham, has been the subject of several complaints from her neighbours in Holmes Close, a quiet cul-de-sac.

Tracey Argue, 50, who lives next-door in her dream home, says she has “complained” several times to councillor Cape by knocking on her door and sending her letters, asking her to clear up the overgrown garden.

“Basically, my neighbour’s garden is a forest. It is attracting rats and other vermin which are coming into my house and garden. It is disgusting.”

She fears that her Labrador/Springer Spaniel cross dog Coco will be frightened by rats coming from next door.

The rats and mice are living under old decking and are being attracted to Cllr Cape’s garden by the overgrown bushes and foliage, Ms Argue claims.

She added: “This has been going on ever since I moved here in June last year. I have been complained about it to Wiltshire Council since last October.

“It’s like a jungle. She promised to clear it up by the middle of June but cancelled the landscape gardener last week.”

A neighbour living on the other side of Cllr Cape's home, who did not wish to be named, said: "She says she is not going to do the garden.

"The point is that she could get somebody to come round once a week and tidy it up but she won't. It's just not on really.

Cllr Cape owns a black Vauxhall Tigra car which neighbours claim has been parked unused outside her home for more than three years.

The vehicle has been untaxed since October 1 2016 and its MOT expired on April 30 2017. It is understood to be unroadworthy.

Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, Cabinet Member for Public Protection, said: “It would be inappropriate for the Council to comment on specific enforcement complaints or cases. 

“However, in general terms, if the council do receive any complaints they are considered in line with appropriate enforcement legislation and the Regulator’s Code.”

The Gazette & Herald has approached Cllr Cape for a comment and is still waiting for a response.

A Liberal Democrat Party member, she has lived in Pewsham for the past 13 years and was elected to Wiltshire and Chippenham Councils four years ago.

She says: “Since then I've worked hard on both councils mainly on health and care and the environment.”

Cllr Cape has also been a very vocal campaigner to stop Wiltshire Council’s proposed huge housing development to the south and east of Chippenham and the distributor road.