A CARDIGAN family has now been forced out of their own home for two years – and yet still there is no end in sight to their nightmare.

Patrick and Donna Workman are unable to live in their house at Morgan Street in the town centre due to contamination from fuel that has leaked from a nearby garage and sewage from the neighbouring library seeping into their property.

It is claimed that work carried out by council workmen in an adjoining lane to the Morgan Street house caused the problems.

That is currently the subject of a protracted legal wrangle between the garage owner and Ceredigion County Council over who is responsible for the spillages and any clear-up but the Workman’s plight is becoming increasingly desperate as they spoke at Cardigan Town Council’s December meeting.

But even that was not straightforward, with the four Ceredigion county councillors on the town council leaving the meeting under advice from the county council’s legal department.

“We have been paying both a mortgage and private rent for the past two years and our savings are now at an end,” Mr Workman told the town council, with the family facing the very real prospect of having to live in a caravan.

“For the county council to treat us as homeless, they have told us to stop paying our mortgage, not to buy Christmas or birthday presents or even a newspaper.

“We are not homeless – we have to drive past our own house where we are told we cannot live through no fault of our own and go somewhere else.

“All we are asking for is the county council to pay our rent for us. There is still no date for the work to start clearing up the house and once they do start it will take 12 months.

“And how long would we default on our mortgage or take a mortgage break? Six months? Six years? Sixty years? We only have a year and three months left to pay off on a 25-year mortgage but at the moment we are having to pay that and £600 a month in rent. We don’t have anything left”

Donna Workman added: “We are stuck in the middle because of what has happened through no fault of our own and I think it’s shocking the way we have been treated. If we had done something wrong we would have to put it right.”

All town councillors were supportive of the family and branded the situation ‘ridiculous’ and ‘diabolical’ but under local government rules, are not allowed to offer any form of financial help.

They agreed to try to put pressure on the county council to help the family and also to contact AM Elin Jones to see if there was a way Welsh Government could became involved to possibly purchase the property.

It is understood that as the Tivyside went to press, Elin Jones had visited the Workman family at their home.

A Ceredigion spokesperson said: "The council is fully aware of the difficult situation affecting the Workman family and is sympathetic to their circumstances. The council has provided the couple with support and assistance regarding their housing options.

"The council is also working towards resolution of the contamination issue, but the matter remains extremely complex with a number of technical obstacles present, as well as a number of different parties involved.

"The council has commissioned detailed investigations of the site and the next phase will begin on Monday, December 9. In the meantime, Ceredigion Council is considering all available options to enable the family to return to their home.

"The council also remains committed to offering support and assistance to Mr and Mrs Workman on an ongoing basis. In terms of the legal process, it is ongoing."