A WHEELCHAIR-BOUND mother with a severe kidney disease faces a 150-mile round trip to Norwich several times a week for dialysis if she is not rehoused.

Elaine Nightingale, 40, of Henson Close, Wisbech, has one functioning kidney operating at 11 per cent effectiveness, water retention around her ankles and one of her arms does not work,

Elaine is unable to go upstairs so is forced to sleep on a sofa in her living room.

She urgently needs treatment but her house is too small to get a dialysis machine installed.

A Roddons Housing Association specially adapted property has become available in Whittlesey but Elaine has been told it will be allocated to another family from Wisbech.

She said: “I’m going to die if I don’t get this move. I lived in Whittlesey for 25 years. My family is born and bred in Whittlesey and many generations are buried in the town cemetery.

“The person we spoke to from Roddons when we called their helpline said if you have got a concrete link to a property you have a higher priority than someone who does not.”

First refusal on the specially adapted house has been given to Stuart and Carrie Best, who live in a one-bedroom house with their four children in Prospect Place, Wisbech.

They have been struggling after taking in Mr Best’s three children from a previous relationship to stop them going into care.

Carrie is wheelchair bound and Stuart is her full-time carer.

Elaine said: “I sympathise with the lady but the family is in the situation of their own doing. They decided to make themselves overcrowded.

“We have got no where to put the equipment in my home.

“I can’t get up the stairs so I have to wash in the downstairs toilet. I can’t even get in my bath.

“Without this transplant I’m going to die. There’s no other option. She’s not going to die because of her disability. I feel the house should be mine.”

Elaine and her husband Mark have two disabled children.

Their oldest son Kyle, 11, has learning difficulties, social problems and ADHD.

Her youngest son Reece, 9, has severe learning disabilities. Both have sleeping problems so cannot share a bedroom.

Elaine believes a new house would allow the family to dream of a brighter future.

She said: “I want to try and live and see my children grow up. My children are never going to be able to leave home because their disabilities mean they will never be able to live independently.”

Jenny Hodson, managing director of Roddons Housing Association, said they were aware of Elaine’s predicament and would help her find a suitable place to live.

She said: “We are working closely with both families to make sure they can move into properties that are right for their individual needs.

“Both the housing and medical needs of prospective residents are taken into account when we’re helping people to find a new home.”

Cambridgeshire County Councillor Samantha Hoy read about Elaine’s plight on Facebook and got in touch to see what she could do to help.

She said: “I saw her message on the Wisbech... Oh Dear Facebook page and asked her to contact me. She did and I contacted Roddons on her behalf.

“She needs specialist adapted housing but there is a family that also needs adapted housing but have been waiting for longer. That family will get first refusal and she will be next in line.

“I have offered her my continued support and will investigate if there is anywhere nearer than Norwich for her to receive dialysis.”