A DAD-of-two says that a housing association is putting his young children in danger after the ceiling of their rented flat collapsed.

Martin Doherty's home on Biggin Court in Padgate has had problems with mould and damp for the past two years.

Now the ceiling of the one-bedroom flat, where Martin lives with his partner and two young children, has fallen in.

He believes that his six-month-old daughter's medical condition, a pelvic kidney that has caused numerous stays in hospital, has been worsened by the mould.

Martin said: "The problems first started two years ago - we were told it had been sorted but over time it's just carried on.

"We were told several times that it was due to condensation, but it turned out that it was down to the roof and now we've got a gaping, rotten hole in the ceiling outside of the bedroom.

"At first there were a couple of drops of water on the ceiling, then we woke up in the morning and it was completely cracked - within an hour it had collapsed through.

"The mould is everywhere in the property and it's disgusting - it's even behind my son's cot.

"There are four of us in a one-bedroom flat - it's crazy and they've got to move us.

"We've been bidding for a new place for two-and-a-half years but we've got nowhere."

Housing association Affinity Sutton has made two temporary repairs to the ceiling and said it would help the family move to a new property.

It could take months for the roof to be fixed.

A spokesman said: “We attended within 24 hours of the repair being reported and made the ceiling safe and a patch repair to the roof.

“Our subcontractor will be carrying out the full remedial works required to the roof and once this repair is complete we will install a new ceiling to the property.

“The mould growth in the property is largely being caused by overcrowding.

“Our housing options team is in liaison with the household about moving to a larger property.”