A first-time buyer thought she had solved her housing headache when she qualified for an affordable housing scheme – only to find she couldn’t find an “affordable” mortgage.

Now Rebecca Harper, 30, backed by several politicians, is calling for the Government to review the part-ownership scheme after she was faced with an absurd dilemma.

Miss Harper, who has been living with her parents in Idle while saving up an £8,000 deposit, said despite “ticking all the right boxes” to qualify for Government help under its affordable homes scheme – she cannot afford it.

The NHS research and innovations facilitator said she had found a home close to her mother, who has MS, and had met the criteria to part-buy, with the Government having a 35 per cent share.

But she was shocked to find only two lenders willing to let her borrow, both of whom wanted to charge double the market rate at 6.69 per cent.

She said: “Apparently it’s because they see the scheme as high risk.

“Other lenders have already lent out their limited allocation to affordable home buyers.

“The Government came up with this scheme to help people get on the property ladder but it’s not helping at all.

“People can’t afford to pay double the usual market rate. In principle the scheme’s a good idea but in reality the Government just hasn’t done its homework.”

Miss Harper, who had her mortgage application approved to buy the house, said the rate she would have to pay back was the obstacle.

Miss Harper has been busy contacting local councillors and her MP, Lib-Dem David Ward, to rally their support.

She has also been in touch with the Housing Ombudsman, the Office of Fair Trading and the Financial Services Authority.

Bradford Council’s executive member for housing, Councillor Val Slater, said: “This is another example of the Government raising expectations when in reality those expectations aren’t being met.”

Councillor Vanda Greenwood (Lab, Windhill and Wrose) wants to hear from people in similar situations.

Bradford East MP David Ward said it had been “a great tragedy” that over the past ten years not enough homes, particularly affordable homes, had been built. He understood the average age of the first-time home buyer was now 37.