'Mould turned my daughter's bed completely black'

A mother says her daughter cannot sleep in her own bedroom due to the extent of black mould in their council flat.

Billiejo Elmer, who is six months pregnant, lives in Heworth with her six-year-old child Lacey-May.

The 23 year old said mould had forced her to replace furniture and had "completely taken over" her life.

City of York Council said a new ventilation system would be installed in the property.

Ms Elmer, who has lived in Croft Gardens for four years, said the mould had been a problem since they moved in.

“It has taken its toll on me because I’m constantly cleaning the mould myself," she said.

"It has completely taken over my life, ruined it,” Ms Elmer said.

Black mould had spread near windows and on ceilings, with the problem particularly concerning in her daughter's room.

“Her bed is just completely covered in mould.

"We tried putting mattress protectors on and they have literally gone completely black.”

“I’m just at the point of where I need to be out of here," she added.

" It’s just getting too serious for me, my daughter and my unborn child."

Michael Jones, head of housing and delivery asset management at City of York Council, said mould was a common issue in many homes.

"We’ve worked with the housing association that owns the property and are planning to install a passive ventilation system, which will remove moisture from the home without the need to turn on additional vents," he said.

He added that the council had invested more than £7.8m to tackle damp and mould issues since 2016.

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