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"It has been there for 200 years, it's a beautiful house. It is just ridiculous it has to be demolished for nothing," Mr Beal lamented.

Next to East Cottage is Charlton Mires, a large 200-year-old farmhouse and steadings that had been the home of the Beal family since 1904, but would also need to be flattened for road building.

Martin Beal said his former home was "full of damp and falling apart".

National Highways previously said it was "sympathetic" to Mr Beal's situation after delays to payments for his property.

Martin Beal described its loss as "very painful".