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Jamie Brassington & Ruby Davies & Chloe Burrell

Carer 'trapped' in her flat as mould covers her walls, ceilings and floors

A full-time carer feels 'trapped' inside her flat due to an outbreak of mould that has ripped through her home.

Courtney Simcox, 20, moved into the social housing that was provided in June and states that black mould now covers her walls, ceilings and floors.

Courtney, from Tipton, West Midlands, says that she has been forced to live in her living room as a result of the mould and it is now affecting her mental health, Stoke-on-Trent Live.

Courtney is a full-time carer for her father and said that the mould first appeared around a month after she moved in, but was able to be cleaned away with mould and mildew spray.

She said: "There is loads and loads of mould. It is like big, black mould.

"It is in my bedroom, all over my bedroom walls and the window sill, all over the windows, the ceiling and the floor.

"It got into my chest of drawers so I had to throw them away. It is in my kitchen, above my window.

Courtney Simcox says her social house is covered in black fungus (Stoke-on-Trent Live)

"I suffer with severe depression. I cannot have my friends and my family around because I am embarrassed - I am currently living in my living room.

"It is embarrassing and it is making my depression worse."

The 20-year-old say she was told the mould has been caused by her not opening her windows at her Shakespeare Road property, where she has lived since June.

But Miss Simcox says she is reluctant to do that because there are 'bins outside the window which do not smell too good'.

Courtney Simcox (Stoke-on-Trent Live)

The mould first appeared in July which she was able to clean up using some 'Mould and Mildew spray'.

However, it reappeared in October and Miss Simcox says it has become 'really bad'.

"My housing officer said it is due to not having the windows open," said Miss Simcox.

"But I can't open the windows because there are bins literally right outside my bedroom window.

"It doesn't smell too good."

Miss Simcox - who is on benefits, claiming carer's allowance and universal credit - says she feels unable to escape her situation due to her finances.

"It is making my life a misery, I am trapped," she said.

"Because I am on benefits, and I don't get a lot, it isn't like I can find myself somewhere new.

"I don't want to be there anymore.

Courtney Simcox is 'too embarrassed' to invite family and friends around (Stoke-on-Trent Live)

"They (the housing provider) haven't helped me.

"I just want to move. But I don't want this to happen to anyone else because it isn't right. It is like they don't want to help."

A spokesman for Trident Group said: "We take the health and wellbeing of all our residents seriously and all our properties, prior to being let, are inspected by the organisation and a third party.

"We will investigate all concerns raised and work with residents to resolving any issues arising as soon as possible."

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