Ceiling over children's bedroom collapses (From Watford Observer)
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Ceiling collapses into the beds of two young girls in Watford Community Housing Trust's Benneck House, West Watford
5:34pm Monday 7th January 2013 in News
By Mike Wright, Chief Reporter
Claire Halward and partner Billy Wolstenholme with lucky Chloe and Chrystal
Two young girls from West Watford had a lucky escape after a huge chunk of ceiling crashed into the beds they had been sleeping in hours earlier.
Claire Halward and her partner Billy Wolstenholme were having breakfast in the kitchen of their top-floor flat, in Benneck House, with their daughters Chloe, 1, and Chrystal, 6, when they heard the bang this morning.
When they rushed to the girls’ bedroom they saw the ceiling board, which they said had been bulging for months, had crashed down into the space where the girls sleep and play.
The parents have accused their landlords Watford Community Housing Trust of not acting on their concerns about the ceiling board and branded the inaction "disgusting".
Mr Wolstenholme, 27, said the family had noticed the ceiling board was bulging about a year ago and notified the trust.
He said: "We noticed it had a big bulge and they sent an inspector round but he said it was fine."
However he said the family was in touch with the trust again a few months ago and a second inspector said work needed to be done to the ceiling.
Mr Wolstenholme, a builder, said the family had still been waiting for the work to be done when the board came off this morning.
Miss Halward, 24, said: Luckily enough we were up and having breakfast. We heard a bang and rushed into the room and it was collapsing down.
"I did not realise it was that dangerous. I knew it was wobbling but they said it was urgent and they would redo it. But they left it two months and now this has happened.
"It is disgusting being treated like that and them not doing anything about it."
The family also complained that the flat is infested with widespread mould, including in the girls’ room.
Mr Wolstenholme said the situation was so bad in his and his partners’ room they moved their mattress into the living room every night and slept there.
He added: "It is not fit for man or beast. You would not let a dog live in here."
Watford Community Housing Trust is yet to respond to the incident.
