A COUPLE with a baby who suffers from a heart condition claim her life will be at risk if they are not moved out of their council house.

Simon and Kelly Michie say damp and mould in their home could lead to a fatal condition for two-month-old Louise, who has a hole in her heart.

They have been given a letter from a doctor asking for the family to be relocated on health grounds.

Louise also has a valve in her heart which goes to the left instead of the right, circulating the blood the wrong way.

Swindon Council have said they are treating the Michie’s case as a priority.

Mr Michie said: “The damp can cause a number of problems, including lung disorders and asthma. To look at Louise you would think she is a normal, healthy baby, but her heart is so fragile any complications could be fatal.

“As well as the hole in the heart and the blood circulating the wrong way there is also a heart valve that is too small. A split has had to be inserted to enable the blood to go through. Yet the council have told us it could take four years to move, despite the damp and mould getting bigger and bigger.

“We keep complaining and have had a letter from a doctor to support us, but nothing has happened.”

The couple, who are unemployed, received a letter from the doctor at University Hospital Bristol saying the house is not appropriate for a newborn baby.

Mr Michie said: “There’s mould behind the washing machine, around the water pipes and in the kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms.

“We wash everything down on a weekly basis but it just comes straight back. We have sent the letter to the council and the sooner we’re moved the better.”

Mr Michie, 34, and his wife, 33, have lived at the property in Downton Road, Penhill, for just over a year. They say they first complained in October and have been promised an inspection on April 4, but they want a permanent move.

A council spokesman Kevin Burchall said: “We are treating Mr and Mrs Michie’s housing transfer case as a priority.

“Unfortunately, we have a large number of people on the waiting list for council properties as Swindon, in common with most towns, does not have enough homes to satisfy demand.

“We have advised Mr and Mrs Michie that the waiting time for two-bedroom flats is significantly shorter than that for two-bedroom houses. Two-bedroom flats that have been advertised in the last couple of weeks have gone to applicants who had only been on the list a short time before Mr and Mrs Michie.

“We were alerted to a small mould issue in their property caused by condensation in October, which was resolved by our contractors and we were informed two weeks ago of another problem. We are due to inspect this tomorrow.

“We will do all we can to ensure Mr and Mrs Michie get a transfer as quickly as possible, but will make sure any condensation problems are resolved in the meantime.”