By Harry Peet

The phrase ‘cowboy builders’ originates from the idea that the old Wild West cowboys of America behaved in a ‘reckless or aggressive way’.

For many of the victims who spoke to Channel 4 News, that’s exactly how they’d describe them, too.

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So-called cowboy builders – described by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) trade body as unqualified or unreliable tradespeople – have cost UK homeowners an eye-watering £14.3bn over the last five years alone, according to latest research.

‘A trail of destruction’

Anna-Marie Watters is the CEO of a charity that runs a community centre in Westhoughton, Lancashire. It provides access to education, training and activities for peopl

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