A MOTHER-OF-FOUR from Yate claims her children are being made ill by the damp conditions in her flat.

Marie Skidmore, 38, and her partner Martin Sutton, 36, say their family is suffering the effects of severe dampness in their two-bedroom flat in Fox Avenue.

They claim the condition of the property is affecting the health of their 10-year-old daughter, Kellie, 20 month-old daughter Kiya and nine-month-old twins Kieran and Kaine.

Miss Skidmore believes the dampness is responsible for recent breathing difficulties experienced by Kieran and Kaine, who were both born premature.

Southmead Hospital neo-natal consultant Martin Simmonds told South Gloucestershire Council that dampness in the house was causing health risks to the premature twins and has supported the family's application for a new home.

Health visitor Shiela Lally, from Courtside Surgery in Yate, also backed their plea for a new council home.

The couple, who are paying £65 a week for the flat, have been on the waiting list for a larger house since Kiya was born 20 months ago.

Miss Skidmore said: "We've had dampness in this house ever since we came here.

"They've put a fan in the bathroom and cleared the guttering, but the problem keeps coming back.

"It's bad enough being in an overcrowded home, but to be in a damp one too is just a nightmare.

"Children shouldn't be living in these conditions, the younger ones are even finding it hard to breath at times.

"Its extremely worrying for a mother to watch your nine-month-old twins snuffling all the time."

The council flat was taken on by Merlin Housing Society as part of the transfer of housing stock from South Gloucestershire Council last year.

A South Gloucestershire Council spokesman said: "Ms Skidmore is currently on the council's Housing Register for a larger property and her application has been fully assessed.

"We are unable to say how long she will have to wait for a transfer as this depends on the number of properties available for letting and her priority at the time they become available."

He said Ms Skidmore had contacted them about problems in the flat and had been advised to speak to Merlin about any repairs needed.

Merlin spokeswoman Faye Galvin said a surveyor inspection of the property was being organised.

She said: "If any of our residents have got a problem, no matter how small, they should ring us up and if it is in our power to sort it out we will do so.

"I can understand how people get us confused about who to ring about a problem, but Merlin is a separate organisation which is no longer part of South Gloucestershire Council."

Merlin Housing Society offers a 24 hour free phone repair hotline on 0800 953 0340.