A MUM-OF-FOUR risked arrest by locking herself in an unoccupied house in a bid to get better living conditions for her children.
Claire Chamley locked herself in an empty house in Guy Fawkes Street, Ordsall, after the council turned down her application to move there.
And Claire says it was desperation which forced her to take such drastic action, after living in her current home became unbearable.
Clare has been living in her current two bedroom house, in Gledhill Avenue, Ordsall, for 12 years.
She now shares the house with her husband Matthew, 34, and their four kids Dylan, 13, Phoebe, 10, Glynn, three, and fourteen-month-old Melody.
For the past two years she has been appealing to the council for a house with more room to accommodate her growing family, but has been continually turned down.
"My husband and I sleep on a double matress on the living room floor while Melody has a cot in the corner," says Claire.
"Dylan has a room to himself and Phoebe and Glynn have to share.
"It’s just not good enough, we can’t live like this any more, there’s not enough room to have six people in a two bedroom house."
But this week Claire reached breaking point after getting refused a move to the house and seized the opportunity to occupy the house when she spotted an open door.
Claire said: "I saw the open door and just went and locked myself in.
"It was through desperation, I didn’t really know what else to do.
"I didn’t plan it, I just spotted the open door and went for it. We’re a good family.
"I’ve never been in trouble with the police or the council, and we always pay our rent on time."
Claire informed the council that she was in the house, maintaining her protest for almost six hours.
But when police arrived and Claire was threatened with arrest and court she gave herself up voluntarily.
"They were going to arrest me and I just couldn’t do that to my kids, I didn’t want to put them through me going to court. I think I’ve made my point though, I just hope it makes a difference."
Councillor Peter Connor, lead member for housing, said: "I appreciate that Mr and Mrs Chamley and their young family have important needs, and we’re doing everything we can to find them a more suitable home.
"However, the same system that will help them is also helping other families, who, in this case, have a greater need for the property.
"In the meantime, we have discussed alternative options with the family and they have decided not to take these further."
Tweet
Comments
Login or Register to comment
Why have 4 kids if you have not got room for them, and if you want a bigger house get a mortgage and buy one like the rest off us, rather than expecting the council to sort it out!
If they changed their name to Marjev and claimed to come from Poland they would get a large enough house straight away
Why have another baby when you dont have room in your house?
You would make sure its not going to be over-crowded before you start having more children.
hey i think wat you have done is right claire you go girl and for u linda if she wants more kids who are you to comment on that. claire you have as many kids as you want love ha i think its very very funny wat you have done so linda stop commenting on other peoples lives u bissy body
great idea vickie, claire should have as many kids as she wants, and get the state to pay for it. if she has another dozen the council should provide suitable local accomodation, so maybe Ordsall Hall should be given to her
Vickie - are you sure this is the right place for sarcasm?
;-)
Cracking idea! Im not going to work Monday, im off to make some babies with my Mrs, i want a bigger house!
hey how do u know this girl does not wrk?
you can see their point of view when they have bid on the property and foreigners move into the 3 bedroomed hse with 1 child that they cud easily have got their 2 bedroom hse instead.
Amazing!
It took as long as 6 days for someone to have a moan about "foreigners"
Brilliant. Let's stay on topic, shall we?
how do you know what life they are living. for all you know they may have had their own house but had it repossessed in this recession. they may have worked up until redundancy and not been able to get another job. i am sure they have not come from familys of scroungers of the state.i feel sorry for those that comment on something they know virtually nothing about except reading it in the papers.
@nana to 8, salford
There appears to be sufficient information in the article to enable people to reach informed and independent opinions.
One of the clues, for me, is that "Clare has been living in her current two bedroom house... for 12 years".
During this time Mr and Mrs Chamley decided to have at least four children in addition to their now 13-years old first born.
Perhaps it is worth noting that the Chamley's chose to increase their family while living in a two-bedroom house provided by the council.
This appears to be the key combination of facts that have vexed a number of commentators.
If you are able to provide a more accurately informed view of the situation then no doubt that would be welcome.