Is this the dirtiest man in Europe?

Dirty old man: Ludvik Dolezal, 58, burns whatever he finds to create his ‘bed’ before crawling into it to sleep. He has even burnt his mattress and duvet in order to achieve the perfect mound of fiery remains

This homeless man has been labelled Europe’s dirtiest person – because he sleeps buried in a pile of hot ash.

Ludvik Dolezal, 58, burns whatever he finds to create his ‘bed’ before crawling into it to sleep.

He has even burnt his mattress and duvet in order to achieve the perfect mound of fiery remains.

A year ago, Ludvik Dolezal simply decided to quit his job. Since then he has stayed with the fire

Mr Dolezal, who passers-by often refer to as a devil from fairytales, said: ‘A year ago I simply decided to quit my job. Since then I've staying here with the fire.

‘Every night I lay down with hot ash in my clothes and cover myself to keep warm. I look like hell then.

‘I had everything – jacket, boots, mattresses and even a duvet. But I burnt everything because there was nothing else to keep the fire going.

‘People help me, they bring some old tyres here for example and I burn them.

‘I keep the fire going all day and in the evening at 7.30 I go to sleep.’

Mr Dolezal, who lives in an abandoned old farmhouse, is said to suffer from a psychological disorder which makes him want to share his life with fire and ash.

Despite the freezing cold winters of his home town, Novy Bydzov, in the Czech Republic, he wears just a fleece, which is dyed black from the smoke.

‘I mostly burn wood from bushes that grow around,’ he added.

‘But it has to be dry to glow. When I don't have enough of it I grab an axe and cut boards from surrounding sheds.

‘I burn even rubber, that's not a problem. And if I have foam from a mattress I'll throw it on there as well.

‘The tyres are very good, they make a good heat. But there is smoke as well so then I need to go out for a while. 

‘I've got constant breathing problems. I smoke cigarettes all the time, I finish one packet a day, they help me. I breathe better when I smoke.’

Mr Dolezal is given the equivalent of £81 a month in benefits from the Czech government, but officials are careful not to give him the whole amount at once in case he burns that too.

Instead they give the money to a local shop where Mr Dolezal goes every day for food.

In the shop he can spend 100 Czech crowns (£2.99) in the shop, which gives him everything he needs for the day.

Ludvik Dolezal is obsessed with fire and burnt everything he owned because there was nothing else to keep the fire going

Mr Dolezal, who lives in an abandoned old farmhouse, is said to suffer from a psychological disorder which makes him want to share his life with fire and ash