Houseboat owners living rent free close to a beauty spot in Bath have been ordered to leave by council bosses who claim they are ruining the view and their homes are a 'hazard'.

The iconic 18th century Pulteney Bridge across the River Avon is one of the most recognisable landmarks in Bath and one that millions of tourists flock to the city every year to see.

But the lucky owners of houseboats have been able to live right next to the picturesque setting for years.

And those who call the area home do not pay to moor at the site as there is 'free navigation' - but some did say they would be willing to pay to stay. 

However, their days of living rent free along the river could soon be over after the Liberal Democrat-controlled council ordered them out saying they are dangerous, unsafe and branding them a 'hazard'.

Bath and North East Somerset Council say it is 'taking action to keep people safe by addressing unauthorised and dangerous mooring locations'.

But those who live on the boats have hit back at the council's claims, instead alleging they are being kicked out because they are 'scruffy'.

While others believe they are being moved away from the spot due to plans to build a new Bath Rugby stadium to replace the nearby old one.   

One boat owner Ted, 54, said: 'There's not a health and safety issue - they're just using that against us.

'It's all about the rugby ground, getting rid of the boats and trees.

'They're going to move us by September, they're going to put us somewhere else.

'They're not being kind, they'll use force. I've been a boater for years, I've been moved before.'

The 54-year-old claimed that 'no one owns' the stretch of land and that the main reason they were being moved was 'the rugby ground, and because the boats look a bit dirty and scruffy'.

Another resident, who wished not to be named, said: 'They want to send us to the canal but there are no residential moorings on the canal.

'Normally stuff like this is all smoke and mirrors. It's about the development of the rugby ground.

'If it's about flooding they should've put pontoons in. It's completely safe when it floods.

'All down the river they've got pontoons but not here.

'The amount of money they are going to spend in legal action and evicting us, I've heard it's £1.5million but they don't have a leg to stand on.'

The resident added: 'We won't leave. We'll put in a planning application to manage it ourselves, manage the mooring, holiday boats, residential boats, tours.'

Another boat dweller said that their homes were 'good for tourism' and that the area could 'look so nice if the council tried'. 

The person even went on to accuse the council of 'penalising a minority'.

'They think the boats ruin the view but the opposite is true - we are part of the landscape here,' they continued. 

Percy Walton, 67, has lived on his boat there for four years.

He said: 'The letter came out of nowhere, it's awful.

'There are no other moorings on the Avon so where are they proposing to move everything?

'We contribute to the area, tourists are always asking us questions and I tell them about the trees. We dispose of our waste responsibly.

'I've been here four years and there've been no health and safety issues at all.

'They just want us to go because we're scruffy.'

The 67-year-old said that the residents who live in the houseboats are 'part of a community' that they contribute to. 

He added: 'They told us we had to go by September, and they would help us if they could.'

The council said last week: 'Boat owners moored there will be supported to move their vessels by the middle of September this year as the moorings are not safe for them to use.

'The moorings also pose a hazard to other river users.

'The channel forms a critical part of the city's flood defences and is not part of the river's navigation for boat users.

'In recent years, a number of boats including holiday rentals have moored along this stretch of the river, despite the council working with boat owners to explain the dangers and installing warning signage at the location.

'The owners of the rental vessels were asked to leave the area prior to the winter months when bad weather poses the greatest risks, however this was not acted upon.'

Councillor Sarah Warren, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Sustainable B&NES, said: 'Boats moored in the Pulteney stretch are in danger from the high risk of flooding, particularly during periods of severe winter weather.

'This could put lives at risk. We want everyone in B&NES to have a safe place to call home and prevent all our residents from coming to harm.

'We are also concerned about the risk of serious injury in instances where gangplanks are being used on benches, and boats are being moored to grab lines, which prevents those lines from being used as essential lifesaving equipment.

'By working with boat owners and the Canal and River Trust to help residents move to a safe location, we're taking action to prevent accidents and protect everyone's wellbeing.

'As a last resort, we will take legal action if vessels remain in place beyond the date we have asked them to leave.'