Angela Burgoyne has been asking to be rehoused since last August as she, her husband Antony, and their three children were struggling to cope with the cramped conditions.

However, tragedy struck in January when Antony's first wife, Tina, died in Brechin.

As a result, Antony and Tina's two teenage daughters, their son and grandson moved into the family home at 40 Restenneth Drive for what they hoped would be a temporary measure.

Two months on, Angela is making repeated calls to be moved up the housing list, only to be told they are not a priority.

With three adults, two teenagers and four children under the age of five, the family is struggling to cope with the severely cramped conditions and is appealing to Angus Council to be rehoused as a priority.

In January the roll call at the Burgoyne household comprised Angela, Antony and their three children Kiah (5), David (one and a half) and Christopher (six months).

Last August Angela got in touch with Angus Council seeking to be rehoused from their two bedroomed flat.

The accommodation had been adequate when the couple first moved in in September 2005 with their daughter, but the arrival of their two sons left the living accommodation cramped.

Sudden death

However, the family's problems escalated in January with the sudden death of Tina.

Antony and Tina's teenage daughters Teresa (15) and Tara (13) moved in with their father and Angela at Restenneth Drive.

They were joined by their brother Clive (21) and his two year old son, also David, who moved back home from Cheltenham after Tina died - resulting in a roll call now totalling nine.

Whilst the family is coping with what they thought would be a temporary situation, Angela is now desperate for something to be done.

She said: "When Clive and David moved back here I said we could cope for a month - which would have been up to February 14.

"Nothing has happened and he is technically homeless, but there is no way we could put him and his baby out on the street.

"We do cope but the council and the housing association seem unable, or unwilling to help.

"I have been asking to be rehoused since last August. Now we would need a four bedroomed house, although we could cope with a three bedroomed house.

"We have been council house tenants for six years and would have thought, due to our circumstances, we would be on the priority housing list. But the council has put us on the normal list stating we are adequately housed.

"We are very over-crowded. I keep phoning the council to see if there is any way we can get moved up the list but keep getting told we are not a priority and are on the general needs list."

Clive put a housing application form in to the council when he moved to Forfar in January - but he is still waiting.

Mattress

He and his son David currently sleep on a mattress on the living room floor, leaving Angela, Antony and their youngest son Christopher to sleep in one bedroom, whilst Teresa, Tara, Kiah and David sleep in the second bedroom.

With one bathroom, bath-time at the Burgoyne household begins early.

Angela continued: "We start at four o'clock and bath two of the young children before tea-time, and then bath the other two young ones after.

"Bath time can run through to midnight some nights!"

Mornings aren't any easier with Antony getting up early for his job as a game-keeper on the Bamff Estate at Alyth.

The family were told to put a mattress down in the living room floor to help solve the over-crowding, or to use the kitchen or bathroom floors if they need more space.

Angela continued: "I contact the council regularly at the Access office and have been phoning at least twice a week to see where we are on the housing list and to see if we could get moved forward.

"I do try to make light of the situation - if I didn't it would get me down and I would start to cry."

A spokesperson for Angus Council said: "We do not comment on individual tenants or cases of those on the housing waiting list, but we make every effort to ensure that people are housed in suitable accommodation that meets their needs as soon as possible and we keep all cases under constant review. "It is important that those on the housing waiting list inform us of changes in family circumstances so that this can be taken into account when trying to resolve their housing issues.

"Regrettably, and in common with many other areas of Scotland, there is a low turnover in Angus of family-sized homes as a result of the loss of stock through Right to Buy.

"Unfortunately, demand for four bedroomed housing within the Forfar and Kirriemuir area exceeds supply. Angus Council continues to look for solutions to meet ongoing demand from applicants through not only its own stock but via its strategic investment planning process. "