Quote:AN eccentric loner hoarded so much rubbish he had to BURROW through it to get around his home — then got lost in the maze of tunnels and died of thirst.

Human mole Gordon Stewart, 74, had filled his rooms up to the ceiling with ten years’ worth of garbage and clutter, making it impossible to walk around.

Tip ... waste strewn across lawn

Tip ... waste strewn across lawn

The compulsive hoarder is believed to have become disorientated inside the walls of rotting trash and unable to find a way out — then collapsed with dehydration.

Neighbours raised the alarm after failing to see him leave his house in Broughton, Bucks, for several days.

When cops arrived, the stench from the rubbish was so foul they brought in a police diving team equipped with breathing apparatus.

It is believed they crawled around the tunnel network until they uncovered Mr Stewart’s body.

Piles ... bags up against window

Piles ... bags up against window

A neighbour revealed: “A police officer said the interior was piled up with huge mounds of rotting rubbish and there was an elaborate network of tunnels to move around.

“They think Mr Stewart may have got lost and died from dehydration.”

The pony-tailed loner was often seen riding his bike around the streets — bringing back cardboard boxes and bags full of rubbish.

Another neighbour said: “He was slightly eccentric, but very clever. He lived in his own world.”

Yesterday, full plastic bags could be seen piled in the front window.

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Broken furniture, computer parts and an old TV covered the front lawn. A dust-covered car from the 1950s stood in the garage.

Neighbours said that Mr Stewart used to work as a joiner before retiring and settling into his bizarre lifestyle — but the council never stepped in.

One local said: “It’s very sad. It sounds like he died in an awful way. The Environmental Health people knew about the state of his home but I guess because he paid his bills and didn’t break the law they just left him alone.”

Mr Stewart, who was found last Friday, is believed to have no next of kin.

Thames Valley Police said there were no suspicious circumstances.

A post mortem revealed he died of natural causes.