AN ELDERLY man whose home was destroyed by fire has labelled council planning chiefs as 'heartless' for ordering him to sort the site out.

John Gordon, 78, lost everything when his historic three-storey house in Mill Lane, Cerne Abbas, caught fire in May last year.

He feels West Dorset District Council planners have abused their power by issuing him with the order demanding he tidy the site up.

But the council says he knew the order was on the way, and that there have been complaints from residents about the site for years - even before the fire. Mr Gordon received the Section 215 order - stating he must demolish the building's remains and remove all debris from the site within six months - over the Christmas period.

"I couldn't do anything with it at first," he said.

"It seemed very deliberate and I just think it was done in quite a mean way.

"I agree the place is unsightly, but they've not really thought about it - they've just pushed ahead.

"It's all a bit heavy-handed and a bit unnecessary."

Mr Gordon said the fact he is a full-time carer for his son Andrew, who has Down's Syndrome, means there is no way he can resolve the situation in time.

"How could anybody be so heartless?" he said.

"There was no thought to my circumstances whatsoever.

"It's taken us forever to settle down and get over the fire, and this is another aggravation.

"It's not something you get over easily, it was a wonderful old house."

Mr Gordon, who now lives in Meadow View, Charmin-ster, said he does not have the money right now to resolve the saga - and claimed receiving the ultimatum had been very stressful.

"I shall just have to carry on I suppose, but I wasn't prepared for this," he added.

West Dorset District Council development services manager John Greenslade said the site lies in the heart of a conservation area, next to a public footpath.

He said Mr Gordon was warned back in January 2006 that formal action was on the cards - and reminded again in October, after the fire.

"The district council has already fenced the area to reduce the risk to children and other members of the public," he added.

"I believe we've acted sensitively and appropriately, balancing Mr Gordon's personal circumstances against the risk to the public and the effect on the conservation area. He has the opportunity to challenge the legal notice through the courts."