A family of five living in a two-bed flat are dealing with thick mould causing them physical and mental health problems, it is claimed. 

The family have been living in the council accommodation in Allington Road, Penhill, for more than three years and the mum - who wished to remain anonymous - says they have all become unwell with chest problems since they moved in.

All three children, aged from 11 months to five years, use inhalers for asthma.

The mum said: “I’ve never felt so unwell before, I’ve now been put on steroid medication for my chest and having to take six a day.

“Our home is killing us. It’s like a guessing game every night figuring out which of our children is coughing trying to get there in time, as they cough so much they’re sick and end up choking.”

Swindon Borough Council has described the situation as "extremely complex".

Last year the local authority moved the family into temporary accommodation for two months to clean the mould, but within two-and-a-half weeks it returned.

They say the council put ‘fake walls over the top’ of the mould, so it is still spreading and has not been treated properly to stop it permanently.

One of their children also has additional needs, which they say has been made worse by frequently becoming unwell.

The family are not just worried about their physical health, but claim their mental health is suffering and that back-and-forth communications with the council isn't helping.

Even personal belongings, like clothing, have been damaged and the mum says they have been forced to throw some of their children’s things away. 

Swindon Advertiser:

A council spokesperson said: “We treat all reports of damp and mould in our council properties extremely seriously and aim to resolve them as quickly as we can. This is a key priority for our Housing team, and we are constantly reviewing our processes and procedures for dealing with damp and mould referrals to ensure we provide the best possible service to our tenants.

“This particular case is extremely complex and we have previously temporarily rehomed our tenant so we could carry out improvements to the insulation. We are also now in the process of making upgrades to the heating system.

“We were not aware of this latest mould issue and will be visiting our tenant to carry out a deep clean.”