By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 04:30 EST, 8 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:46 EST, 8 August 2013 . A hoarder had a lucky escape after her ceiling collapsed under the weight of 20 tons of rubbish. Wendy Towers, 61, of Forest Gate, east London, was feared dead by concerned neighbours when they called police on Tuesday after seeing that her living room ceiling had collapsed. Police officers, firefighters and demolition workers arrived to secure and search the one-storey terraced home. But the woman, who had not been seen since last Thursday, could not be found. Scroll down for video . Escape: Wendy Towers, 61, of Forest Gate, east London, was feared dead by concerned neighbours when they called police on Tuesday after seeing that her living room ceiling had collapsed . In and out: The building was thought to have been filled with more than 20 tons of furniture and other items collected by Miss Towers, who had lived at the property for more than 30 years . Then - unaware of the drama - she arrived home last night to her neighbours’ delight, after spending a few days with friends in Lewisham, south-east London, reported the London Evening Standard. Rozmin Najak, 26, who lives opposite, told the newspaper: ‘We thought she was dead. We had not seen her for a week, and she was not the type to go on holiday. The ceiling had collapsed. ‘There were sniffer dogs here (and) we had all started to believe the worst had happened and we should have done more to check on her. I just couldn’t believe it when she walked up the road.’ The building was thought to have been filled with more than 20 tons of furniture and other items collected by Miss Towers, who had lived at the property for more than 30 years. She was devastated upon her return to the house, but told the Evening Standard: ‘I’m okay, I will go and stay with some friends in Snaresbrook (north-east London). It will be a new start.’ What a tip: Waste disposal firm The Squibb Group has been clearing the house and estimated about three of the 20 tons of rubbish inside the house would be taken away each day . Covered in rubbish: Unaware of the drama, Miss Towers arrived home last night to her neighbours' delight, after spending a few days with friends in Lewisham, south-east London . Response: The Metropolitan Police said officers were called at 11:15am on Tuesday to the east London home . Waste disposal firm The Squibb Group has been clearing the house and estimated about three of the 20 tons of rubbish inside the house would be taken away each day. 'We thought she was dead. We had not seen her for a week. I just couldn’t believe it when she walked up the road' Rozmin Najak . A Metropolitan Police spokesman told MailOnline today: ‘Police were called at 11:15am on Tuesday to an address on Suffolk Street in E7 to reports of a person believe trapped inside. We attended along with the London Fire Brigade. 'On arrival the structure of the address was found to be unsafe due to the collapse of the front room ceiling. A structural engineer was deployed to the scene and the property was subsequently found to be empty.’ And a London Fire Brigade spokesman said: ‘We were called out. We sent in a sniffer dog to try to establish whether anyone was in the house. There were no positive signs.’
Wendy Towers had lived in east London home for more than 30 years .
61-year-old's ceiling collapsed on Tuesday and she couldn't be found .
But woman was unaware and had been staying elsewhere with friends .
By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 04:30 EST, 8 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:46 EST, 8 August 2013 . A hoarder had a lucky escape after her ceiling collapsed under the weight of 20 tons of rubbish. Wendy Towers, 61, of Forest Gate, east London, was feared dead by concerned neighbours when they called police on Tuesday after seeing that her living room ceiling had collapsed. Police officers, firefighters and demolition workers arrived to secure and search the one-storey terraced home. But the woman, who had not been seen since last Thursday, could not be found. Scroll down for video . Escape: Wendy Towers, 61, of Forest Gate, east London, was feared dead by concerned neighbours when they called police on Tuesday after seeing that her living room ceiling had collapsed . In and out: The building was thought to have been filled with more than 20 tons of furniture and other items collected by Miss Towers, who had lived at the property for more than 30 years . Then - unaware of the drama - she arrived home last night to her neighbours’ delight, after spending a few days with friends in Lewisham, south-east London, reported the London Evening Standard. Rozmin Najak, 26, who lives opposite, told the newspaper: ‘We thought she was dead. We had not seen her for a week, and she was not the type to go on holiday. The ceiling had collapsed. ‘There were sniffer dogs here (and) we had all started to believe the worst had happened and we should have done more to check on her. I just couldn’t believe it when she walked up the road.’ The building was thought to have been filled with more than 20 tons of furniture and other items collected by Miss Towers, who had lived at the property for more than 30 years. She was devastated upon her return to the house, but told the Evening Standard: ‘I’m okay, I will go and stay with some friends in Snaresbrook (north-east London). It will be a new start.’ What a tip: Waste disposal firm The Squibb Group has been clearing the house and estimated about three of the 20 tons of rubbish inside the house would be taken away each day . Covered in rubbish: Unaware of the drama, Miss Towers arrived home last night to her neighbours' delight, after spending a few days with friends in Lewisham, south-east London . Response: The Metropolitan Police said officers were called at 11:15am on Tuesday to the east London home . Waste disposal firm The Squibb Group has been clearing the house and estimated about three of the 20 tons of rubbish inside the house would be taken away each day. 'We thought she was dead. We had not seen her for a week. I just couldn’t believe it when she walked up the road' Rozmin Najak . A Metropolitan Police spokesman told MailOnline today: ‘Police were called at 11:15am on Tuesday to an address on Suffolk Street in E7 to reports of a person believe trapped inside. We attended along with the London Fire Brigade. 'On arrival the structure of the address was found to be unsafe due to the collapse of the front room ceiling. A structural engineer was deployed to the scene and the property was subsequently found to be empty.’ And a London Fire Brigade spokesman said: ‘We were called out. We sent in a sniffer dog to try to establish whether anyone was in the house. There were no positive signs.’
Wendy Towers, 61, of Forest Gate, east London, terraced home. But the woman, who had not been more than 30 years . Then - unaware of the drama Towers, who had lived at the property for more 11:15am on Tuesday to the east London home . the scene and the property was subsequently found