A PENSIONER is to be evicted from her New Forest home of 40 years on Monday (Oct 11) after she failed to pay £34,000 rent.

Freda Williams, 70, had threatened to defend her isolated home at Furzehill near Fordingbridge from the bailiffs with a .73 Winchester rifle.

However, police called at her ranch and cattery on Wednesday night and confiscated the weapon.

Miss Williams insists the gun had no firing pin and posed no threat to anyone.

A spokesman for New Forest District Council said housing needs officers "are aware of Freda Williams and are looking into various options".

However, Miss Williams said she will not go into bedsit accommodation because she will not be separated from her four pedigree Manx cats.

"I will not be parted from them. They are the last of an endangered species," she said.

Over the years she has buried the bodies of five of her horses and other pets in the grounds. She said: "I'm not leaving 40 years of loved animals behind. I will die in the gutter; I will die in the streets."

Her cats are worth £500 each, she claims. "They are my family. They are all that I have in my life."

The council spokesman said: "The priority is for her to have a roof over her head."

Miss Williams said she was taken to Salisbury District Hospital after collapsing on Tuesday. She said she had suffered a heart attack and had discharged herself because she feared for the welfare of her cats.

Miss Williams was served with the eviction order by Portsmouth County Court on September 2.

In court, Hunters Moon Ltd proved it owned her home and that she owed £34,000 rent. She was also ordered to pay costs of about £60,000.

Miss Williams still claims she never knew what she was doing when she signed the property over to Hunters Moon Ltd in 1997 after a previous eviction.

The company had bought the property to enable bankrupt Miss Williams to pay off her debts and move back into the property under an assured tenancy, as long as she paid rent.

Her creditors included the Inland Revenue and a firm of solicitors.

She also owed £34,314 in legal costs to New Forest District Council after she unsuccessfully claimed in court that Sweatsford Watermeadows in Fordingbridge belonged to her and not the council.

Solicitor Roger Coral, who acts for Hunters Moon Ltd, said his client had attempted to help Miss Williams and treat her fairly but she had reneged on the deal.

"They have no earthly desire to evict her. She took us to court alleging that my clients didn't own the property. The court ruled quite properly that they did," he said.

Every effort has been made to help her remain in her home, he added.

"My client has always wanted to help from day one and you don't help for nothing; you don't put money up for nothing."

First published: Oct 9