A pregnant mum says she was forced to report herself to social services because the electricity in her home keeps cutting out.
Jessika Jones said her family has no heating or lighting and can't use their kitchen appliances when the power trips in their chalet on a travellers' caravan site in Middlesbrough.
The single mum, who is due to give birth to her third child on Friday, said she has had to wrap her kids in layers of clothing to keep warm and has been feeding them sandwiches.
Ms Jones, 25, told TeessideLive that said she was forced to bin £180 worth of food, including meat for the family's Christmas dinner, after her fridge freezer went off.
She claims Middlesbrough Council has done little to help her, so she has resorted to contacting social services for help.
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Ms Jones, who is mum to sons Malachi-Francis, five, and William-Boxer, one, said: "We have reported it to social services and they said we have got to phone the council again.
"Having to report yourself to social services because of the welfare of the children - I think it's disgusting.
"I have got to show the council that I can't live like that.
"I feel like they don't care. We just keep reporting it and they just keep fobbing me off to someone else all the time.
"It's made me feel like I can't provide for my children. I can't feed them property or put a warm meal in their tummy.
"I'm just at the end of my tether, I don't know what else to do."
Ms Jones said the council is responsible for the site, but Thirteen Group deal with any out-of-hours issues.
She claims she and others on the site were left without electricity at the weekend.
Ms Jones said she rented a generator for £80 and it cost her £11.69 in diesel for just one night, so she cannot afford to use it anymore.
She added: "The electricity is tripping all the time. For the out of hours people to come it takes two hours. Every time it trips it is taking money from me.
"It's not as if it's cheap to live on here. It's still £100 a week and we own our own homes. We have got the same as what a house would have.
"I saved £180 for my Christmas food. I had been to the butchers and got my meat. My electricity went off over the weekend and my meat started to thaw out.
"I can't afford to spend that again. I won't be able to have a Christmas dinner with my kids.
"I am having to feed my kids sandwiches or anything you can make without electric.
"My children can't have their Christmas lights on, they can't watch Christmas films as we can't have the telly on. We have got no lights, we have been using torches on our phones.
"It's Christmas and they want the pretty lights on the trees - it's not fair.
"I'm eight months pregnant and due to have my baby on Friday.
"I can't come home from hospital with a baby. I have to warm up bottles and I can't leave them at room temperature as it's freezing.
"We are wrapping up, there is nothing else we can do. We are wearing dressing gowns, socks, two pairs of pyjamas.
"I have had to put the children in bed with me. We shouldn't have to do that.
"What do they expect us to do? Really, I think it's discrimination because we are live-in travellers."
Ms Jones settled in Middlesbrough about two years ago after travelling with her children's father, to whom she is now separated from.
She claims council engineers have visited the site a number of times, but the problem keeps happening.
She added: "There's not enough electricity going to run all four plots.
"It can trip up to 20 or 30 times a night, it's disgusting."
Councillor Dennis McCabe, Middlesbrough Council’s executive member for environment, said: "This is a long-standing problem and there’s no quick and easy solution.
"While a 16 amp supply should be sufficient for an individual caravan, a combination of modern appliances and increased usage has been overloading the system and causing it to trip.
"We’re very sorry for the disruption this has caused and we will continue to work with residents to offer guidance and explain the situation.
"Property Services are currently exploring possible long-term solutions, and in the meantime we will look to provide a generator on site which would double the supply to each plot.
"I would also ask that those affected treat out-of-hours staff with courtesy and respect, as they are doing their very best to resolve the problem.
"I’m grateful to everyone involved for their patience and understanding, and apologise for any inconvenience."
A Thirteen Group spokesperson added: "We have been responsible for this site’s out of hours emergency repairs for four months and we respond to them within the timescale agreed with Middlesbrough Borough Council."
