'˜Why won't council find us a new home?'

Kylie Cain, 28, of Prestt Grove, Worsley Mesnes, has challenged the town hall about its response to the arson, which has destroyed a large part of her council-owned home.

The distraught family has had to rip up carpets in the home and claims that requests for temporary accommodation have fallen on deaf ears as they are not “considered a priority”.

Ms Cain, who is mother to four children, the youngest being one-year-old, said: “When we saw the fire, it had gone too far. I grabbed the kids and left. We went out the back door and watched as the whole window went up.

“All the black silt went up into my children’s bedrooms. It has made their clothes dirty, the beds, the carpets. I have had to spread the children out amongst friends because they have no beds.

“The council isn’t even interested. They have told me I have to stay in there. It could take up to six weeks to get the windows replaced. They came out and took pictures and said it’s all fine and they will just order new parts.”

Friends and family have already taken to social media and Ms Cain has been flooded with offers of clothing, bedding and other items.

But she feels she has been “let down” by the town hall, who she claims only offered one night of accommodation, away from her children in an unknown location.

“I don’t let my children stay away often,” she said. “I said ‘I can’t take the one night hostel because I don’t know where you are going to put me’. It could have been as far as Leigh which is a 40-minute drive from my kids.”

Wigan Council has said it has tried to help, but its offer of accommodation has been turned down.

Vicky Bannister, assistant director for homes, said. “We contacted Ms Cain as soon as we were made aware of the fire. The property had been made secure by the fire service the previous evening and no request for temporary rehousing had been made to us at the time of the fire.

“Ms Cain was offered temporary accommodation for her and her children but this was refused before a location was presented to her. Ms Cain informed us that she would make arrangements for her children to stay with family and her and her partner would remain in the household.

“If Ms Cain feels she would like to reconsider temporary accommodation for her and her children then we are happy to work with her although the location of this cannot be guaranteed as availability changes on a daily basis.

“A property inspector attended the address to assess the damage to the property and reported there was minor damage to the window and door therefore deemed it safe for Ms Cain to reside, a new window and door was ordered as a matter of priority and an order placed to paint the outside of the building.”