A MOTHER who lives in a block of flats which was hit by fire has slammed the council for failing to carry out repair works.

Maria Leahy, lives in Nayland Drive, Clacton, with her two daughters, who are 14 and 16, having moved to the area from London nearly four years ago.

Last month, the block of flats where she lives had to be evacuated after a neighbour dragged a mattress which had caught light into the communal hallway.

The fireball was extinguished by firefighters during the early hours of the morning and all residents managed to get to safety.

Because the mattress was chucked into the lobby area, the walls and carpets sustained fire damage, as well as some front doors.

The day after the fire, representatives from Tendring Council assessed the building and workers installed a new fire alarm.

Positive progress appeared to be being made, and measurements of the front doors were taken so replacements could be sourced.

But, according to Ms Leahy, no further work has been carried out and residents have been left in limbo.

“The doors on my flat are burnt and melted and I can’t see through my spyhole anymore because it is just so black,” she said.

“The council hasn’t done anything really and even though I have chased it up, I still haven’t seen one workman here.

“The damage to the hallway and the carpets just remains the same – I am gobsmacked.”

Ms Leahy’s eldest daughter struggles with breathing as she suffers from asthma.

Following the fire, their ventilation system is now working counter-productively and making her daughter’s breathing worse.

Ms Leahy said: “It is not good from a health perspective and it has been affecting all of our chests.

“The ventilation system now just puts out dark and smoky air into the room and my ceiling keeps blackening.

“The smell in the hallway is horrible and my daughter says it looks like a scene from a horror film.”

A Tendring Council spokesman said he understood the conditions were less than ideal for residents, and apologised.

“A site meeting is scheduled for this week, and it is hoped works would be undertaken in the next month,” he said.

“We are taking action as quickly as is possible and we are sorry for the conditions these residents are currently living with.”