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A Merseyside family has been saved from being evicted from their home before Christmas after their case was taken up by campaigners.

Bob Bradley contacted the Kirkdale-based campaign group Reclaim in desperation after his house was due to be repossessed when he fell behind with his mortgage payments.

Following a social media campaign, around 30 to 40 people gathered outside the property in Marmion Avenue, Bootle, on the day bailiffs were due to arrive.

They insisted their vigil was peaceful and they simply wanted to ensure the bailiffs’ paperwork was in order.

At one point, there was a police presence in the residential street but no bailiffs appeared.

Mr Bradley said he was hoping for a reprieve that would allow the family to spend Christmas at their home. Several hours after the campaigners gathered, he received the news that the eviction notice for that day had been dismissed and the family would be allowed to stay until January.

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He said that both he and his wife worked, but a combination of irregular hours, low pay, and ill-health meant he had fallen behind on the mortgage for their home, where they had lived with their daughter for 14 years.

He added: “I’m a self-employed brickie but the work just hasn’t been there. I tried to deal with the situation myself when we fell behind because I didn’t want them to see me out on the streets. I’ve been in ill-health because of the stress.”

Juliet Edgar, of the campaign group Reclaim, who has been supporting the Bradleys and other families in a similar predicament, said: “The most important thing in a situation like this is for people not to bury their heads in the sand and to ask for help as soon as possible.

“We organised the vigil because it’s about raising the profile of these issues.

“People don’t seek help early enough because of pride. We have had cases of suicide because people are in bits.”

Reclaim can be contacted at thereclaimgroup@aol.co.uk