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A family of three say they've been living in a car with two cats, a dog and a cockatiel since July after their house was repossessed.

Deborah Talbot said she’s been living with her taxi driver partner Glyn Jones, 60, their 23-year-old daughter Rachel, and their four pets in a disabled people carrier.

Ms Talbot, of Newport, Gwent, says she’s had little luck so far in finding accommodation after she lost her job in a supermarket.

She told Wales Online: “I got evicted by our mortgage company.

"Newport council said we weren’t a priority, and we weren’t allowed to get emergency accommodation because we didn’t have any children.

“We had nowhere to go at the time, which meant we ended up in there,” she said, saying there were no friends who could have taken them under their wing.

With no kitchen, the family are relying on takeaways and ready-to-eat food from the supermarket.

“We haven’t been able to have a proper meal,” said Ms Talbot, 41, who now works as a cleaner in a school.

With four pets – cats named Cassy and Macey, a bird called Samuel and a dog called Fred – it can be a squeeze in the disabled person carrier loaned to them by Glyn’s taxi firm.

Ms Talbot says the cats go in the back of the car in a basket, while the cockatiel stays in a cage.

“The chairs can’t go down far because we need to make room to ensure we can all get in their to lie down properly.

"It’s been quite uncomfortable,” she said, saying the family have been using sleeping bags.

“We park up in random places where we can get some quiet.

“It has been very cold,” she said, explaining the family are going to Newport Centre to use their washing facilities, and they have been keeping bedding in lockers.

“We’ve approached private landlords but we have had no joy – it's all about finding a bond.

"We haven’t got the cash coming in to do that as well.

"I have bid on properties from Newport City Homes [a local registered social landlord] but nothing has come of it.”

(Image: Media Wales)

However there might be light at the end of the tunnel.

“I had a phone call asking to go down to speak to someone about a property I did bid on,” Ms Talbot said.

“They are arranging for us to go and view it.”

A Newport council spokeswoman said: “Ms Talbot applied under the homeless provisions in July after her home was repossessed.

“Her application was assessed correctly and a decision letter was issued on 17 July that accepted she was homeless but not in priority need. There is a right of appeal but this was not requested.

“Advice has been provided to Ms Talbot on numerous occasions including about housing benefit and options for alternative accommodation. We will continue to offer her advice and support as she seeks rehousing.

“We do sympathise with anyone who is made homeless but there is a high demand for housing in the city.”