A GRIEVING Waltham businessman is counting the cost and heartache after losing tens of thousands of pounds to a trader dubbed a "cowboy builder".

Simon Dudley, 43, says he handed over £35,000 to Richard Pope, the owner of Louth Building Solutions Ltd, as a down-payment for a £50,000 extension to his home, designed to accommodate his two-year-old niece Georgia and the rest of his family.

Taking in the tot had fulfilled the dying wish of his 43-year-old sister Helen, who lost her fight with breast cancer in September 2010.

The family secured planning permission to build a new staircase, two bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen and dining room and engaged the services of Mr Pope, who said he could complete the work for £50,000.

But Mr Dudley, who shares his experience tomorrow on Channel Five's New Cowboy Builders, presented by Melinda Messenger and Dom Littlewood, says he was left thousands out of pocket and work stopped after a few weeks.

Mr Dudley says he was asked for £35,000 for materials and building fees up front and says Mr Pope told them he had ordered bi-folding doors, windows, a boiler system and staircase.

Mr Dudley, who owns Simply Oak Furniture, at Station Estates, Louth, said: "He kept asking for more and more money to get in the materials. He said he was owed money from a previous job.

"I trusted he would get on and do the job. We were patient. There was no kitchen, no cooker, nothing for months.

"All they did was the brickwork and put joists on the roof."

However, after just a few weeks Mr Dudley claims Mr Pope told them he could not carry on with the job as he had not been paid by another client – walking away with the £35,000 and leaving the job incomplete.

The TV show will allege he had not ordered the parts he claimed to have done and Building Control inspectors brought in to assess his work said the roof bracing that had been completed was very untidy.

Alternative contractors who stepped in to help put right and finish off the work has cost the family a further £20,000.

Mr Dudley is telling his story as a warning to other families.

He said: "We have to stop this happening to anyone else. It was traumatic – even though we were going through all that we did, losing my sister.

"He sat down with me and told me to leave it all to him because he recognised the state we were in.

"We had four children to take care of and we did not have a kitchen for weeks on end and the roof leaked whenever it rained."

The TV show will reveal that Mr Pope had four unsatisfied County Court judgements made against him and they have uncovered other unsatisfied customers in a similar situation to Mr Dudley's family.

A number of Louth-area building materials suppliers were also featured in the programme after stepping in to help.

Mr Dudley said: "Without Darren, from Stennett Joinery, and Andy, from AF Building and Roofing Services Ltd, we would still be in a mess.

"My partner Sarah has kept the family together. I would not have got through it without her."

He vowed to pursue the building firm owner through the courts to recoup the money.

Simon said: "I am not going to let him off. He should not be allowed to trade ever again until he pays back what he owes people."

In the programme, when confronted, Mr Pope said: "My business went through serious cash-flow issues that I tried to resolve. I could not resolve them."

On his failure to complete the work in Waltham, Mr Pope says: "I am ashamed about it all. I was prepared to go back to people, but never got the opportunity to sort it out. I will do what I can to help these people when I can."

He added: "I can't guarantee it."

He confirmed he was no longer in the building trade and pledged not to return to the trade, adding that he "apologised" for his failure to complete building works.

The Grimsby Telegraph also got in touch with Mr Pope but he declined to comment.

See for yourself

New Cowboy Builders will be screened on Channel 5 at 8pm tomorrow.