AN ELDERLY widow says she is too frightened to go out after her home became surrounded by derelict houses occupied by squatters.

Andrea Photiou, 76, is one of many victims of the 40-year-long A406 planning blight, caused by the Department for Transport buying up houses for a proposed road widening scheme that never materialised.

She told the Enfield Independent she was frightened to leave her house and does not even like to be downstairs when her two adult sons are not at home.

“I get up very early in the morning, I do my housework and then I go upstairs and shut the door,” she said.

“I don’t go anywhere really. I’m scared to leave the house because there’s a lot of drunk people outside.”

She is plagued by people banging on the door, an occurrance which happens as often as ten times a week, she says.

She says people haved asked for loans or claim they need to use the toilet, but the family have had several petty thefts from their home over the years — even a pair of dirty boots left outside.

The family also said they felt forced to let their 100ft x 20ft back garden get overgrown so it looks similar to the neighbouring gardens so they did not become a target for burglars.

The pensioner, who lost her husband to cancer on June 22, says she has not opened the door since one visitor tried to force his way in.

Mrs Photiou’s building building contractor son, George Photiou, 44 said he had stopped three people breaking in during the past three months, one of whom became violent and abusive.

He added that he also regularly finds used needles outside the house.

“It’s worse now because I’m by myself all day long,” Mrs Photiou said, adding that it was horrible for her husband to spend his last days in such surroundings.

“I want to go somewhere safe, where there are good people.”

The family does, however, now have enough points to bid for a new property, but it could take time before they are rehoused.

A council statement said: “We are sorry to hear of the problems Mrs Photiou and her family have been having, and have agreed to rehouse the family from their current property.

“We have made enquiries with the two sons, asking if they wanted their own accommodation but it was declined. “Therefore, we have continued the application for Mrs Photiou and her two sons to be rehoused together.

The application has 350 points — the minimum points required is 250.

“The family now have the choice to bid for suitable accommodation.”