A disabled mother says she has reached the end of her tether because Bradford council refuses to install a shower in her home.

Monique Pelling says becau-se of her epilepsy she finds it impossible to take a bath, and says a shower would make a vast improvement to the quality of her life.

Mrs Pelling, 31, and husband Darren, 30, claim the council is trying to move them into inferior and smaller accommodation equipped with showers, when all they want is a new one installed in place of their bath.

The couple have been campaigning long and hard since they moved into the council-owned flat in Williams Drive, Steeton, 18 months ago.

"I feel that because I am young and disabled they have treated me like a piece of dirt," says a frustrated Mrs Pelling. "I just can't see what all the commotion is about.

"As a disabled person I am fully aware of what I need and what I am going through at the moment. We are happy and settled in the flat and we don't want to move."

Mr Pelling adds: "The thing that has upset us the most is that the council hasn't even been to our home to see if the work is possible.

"If it comes to it I will try and pay for the shower myself, but why as council tenants should we have to pay £750 which we haven't got?"

The council housing department has insisted that Mrs Pelling see undergo further medical tests to clarify whether she needs the shower.

Mr Pelling adds: "Monique has already been assessed by occupational therapists and our GP, Dr Fontana, who both say she cannot use a bath. I don't see why they need more information."

To add to her distress Mrs Pelling has been suffering from back pain caused by lumbago and must go into Pinderfields Hospital, Wakefield, soon for an operation on a collapsed bladder.

A spokesman for the council's Keighley housing office says: "We would like to assure Mr and Mrs Pelling that we are looking at the possibility of providing them with a shower in their existing flat.

"We are currently waiting for further medical information to clarify Mrs Pelling's future needs before considering the matter further with the other departments involved.

"We looked at a number of options following their request. As an alternative we offered the chance to move to flats which already have showers but we do understand their wish to stay in their present home and will make a decision as soon as possible."

Since they moved into the couple say they have been on the receiving end of countless cock-ups by the council.

The problems began with a faulty gas fire which leaked gas into the flat with almost disastrous results.

The couple had to take their six-year-old daughter Donna to Airedale Hospital after she had been asleep for 18 hours.

Doctors told the shocked couple their daughter had been knocked out by the gas. Fortunately they had realised in time and Donna made a full recovery.

The Pelling's claim that when they told the council about the fire they were simply instructed to keep the windows open. The fire was fixed six months later.

A call out charge of $43 was also levied against the Pellings when they enquired about a leak in their roof which remains untouched.

"The council stated it was a non essential repair but we have a letter saying that the roof is damaged, so surely that is essential. ' says Darren.

Council officials say the repairs will be carried out when there is a roofing programme in Steeton.

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