A 69-year-old man now has just hours left to quit work on a house he is building in a Shropshire village or face the possibility of being taken to court.

John David was today on site at the house in High Street, Coalport, but time is running out for him after he was issued with an enforcement notice by Telford & Wrekin Council.

The notice was issued because the council claims he is not building the home in line with the planning permission he was given.

Mr David is ordered by the notice to stop work on the new detached home under construction and make a list of changes to the building.

The notice, which took effect on September 23, requires Mr David to comply by midnight tonight.

Spokesman Russell Griffin said: “Once the deadline has expired, officers will be visiting the property to ensure that the owner has complied with the enforcement notice and consider if any further action is needed.

“The owner has until February to launch an appeal against our decision and if he does decide to do that, it would put on hold any prosecution we launch until that appeal is heard.

“That does not mean we will wait until then – if the owner has not complied with the enforcement notice we will look to prepare a prosecution straight away.”

Mr David today declined to comment.