Heston sued over 'slope failure'

Jerome and Flora Heilweil said debris flooded their house in Los Angeles after a spell of heavy rain, and blamed a "slope failure" on Heston's property.

They have requested at least $1.2m (£619,000) in compensation.

But Heston's solicitor claimed the 83-year-old actor could not be held responsible for the storm.

Jeff Briggs added that the vast majority of the hill was part of the Heilweils' property.

"What went into their yard, into their house, is 90% their hillside, their mud, their dirt."

Long-running dispute

The battle between the neighbours has been going on for almost two years and both sides have failed to resolve the issue.

Patty Glaser, a solicitor for the Heilweils, said they did not want to comment. "Our pleadings speak for themselves," she added.

Heston, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, has lived at the top of Mulholland Drive since 1959.

He built the home with earnings from the film Ben-Hur, for which he won an Oscar for best actor.