'I'll have to live in tent' crime boss's wife tells judge after appeal fails

THE wife of crime boss Tommy ‘Hotdog’ Smith told a judge she would be forced to live in a tent as a judge granted a full closure order to evict her from their illegal scrapyard.

- BY RACHEL SMITH

Mary Smith, 48, lives in an eight-bedroom detached house built on the land she owns on Meadow Street, Great Harwood.

A number of static caravans also occupy the site along with stables housing up to 40 horses.

A large scale operation took place on Monday to evict occupants from the land after years of antisocial behaviour, fires and criminal activity.

In May a large fire broke out on public land outside the perimeter of the scrapyard after illegal waste was dumped in the area.

Firefighters spent four days tackling the blaze as acrid smoke billowed across the local area.

On Bonfire Night, police officers were pelted with fireworks when they attended reports of disorder in Meadow Street.

The entire waste management operation on the site is illegal, the court heard.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service records show that more than 240 hours of firefighters’ time has been spent at the site.

Lawyers acting on behalf of Mrs Smith did not dispute the basis of the order - that there had been fires, illegal activity and antisocial behaviour on the site.