AN ABANDONED classic Mini that has become an eyesore for Coleview residents in a quiet street won’t be removed for another three weeks after they were told it wasn’t a top priority for the council.

The car is believed to have been first dumped at the start of last week near the corner junction of Trajan Road and Corinium Way.

With a missing front wheel and no front number plate, the Mini is understood to have been dragged along the road from a nearby property, causing minor scratches to the carriageway.

Now, after complaining to the council about getting the car removed, some residents say they’re angry at how long it could take.

Andrew Hickey, who lives in Ireland but is visiting his hometown to renovate his rental property where the car was dragged from, first noticed the “shocking” damage when he drove past last week.

“It seems like the car has been dragged with only one wheel from the driveway of the property I own to the corner of the road,” the 63-year-old said.

“It was when I was at the house with the decorators that one of the neighbours followed the drag marks back to the house and asked me what was going on.

“We reported it to the police but they didn’t seem interested and I think there are three residents who have complained to the council now as well.

“I just thought it was shocking.”

Swindon Borough Council is responsible for the inspection and removal of vehicles that are left abandoned on public land and roads but no time frame in which action should be taken is listed on their website.

Andrew, who retired to Ireland three years ago, said he was surprised to hear that the police were unable to help but was even more astonished to learn from the council that it could take three weeks to remove the Mini.

“The residents were told by the council that because it wasn’t on a main road that is why it could take three weeks,” Andrew explained. “If it was on Covingham Drive, I think they would be more interested but it is still near a corner junction and the neighbours aren’t happy about it understandably.

“My immediate thought was why dump it there? We don’t know whether their intention was to tow it somewhere but then gave up because it was missing a wheel. We just don’t know why.

“All I was told was that it could take up to three weeks but we haven’t been given any more information that that to be honest.”

A Swindon Borough Council spokesman said: “We investigate abandoned vehicles within two days of them being reported to us. The vehicle in question keeps being moved and was reported to us on April 6 on Trajan Road.

“We were then notified on April 9 that it had been moved to Corinium Way and, as at 2.45pm yesterday, it was located in Sywell Road. We have now issued a 15-day removal notice on the vehicle and it will be removed in due course.”