IPSWICH mum Teresa Donohoe and her family are today getting used to life in their new house - although she's reluctant to describe it as a home.The family were forced to move out of their home in Britannia Road earlier this year after their mortgage lender won a landmark decision that the house should be sold to pay off her ex-partner's debts.

IPSWICH mum Teresa Donohoe and her family are today getting used to life in their new house - although she's reluctant to describe it as a home.

The family were forced to move out of their home in Britannia Road earlier this year after their mortgage lender won a landmark decision that the house should be sold to pay off her ex-partner's debts.

Ms Donohoe, 45, was part owner of the house and was unaware of the debts her ex-partner had built up, but the High Court in London decided it had to be sold to meet the debts of Iain Kirkup, who is currently serving a prison sentence.

The family moved out of Britannia Road at the weekend and have rented a house round the corner in Ernleigh Road.

However they only have a six month lease - and realise that this is not a long term solution to their problem.

Ms Donohoe said: “One of my daughters said 'This is not our home - it's our holiday home' and that's how we see this. We don't have any long-term future here.”

A part-time healthcare assistant at Ipswich Hospital, Ms Donohoe hopes that she will qualify for government help to find a new home under the key worker scheme.

But she fears that the fact she does not work full time may cause problems for her.

She said: “We can only be here until November and then everything will start all over again. It is not an easy situation by any means.

“My children are settled at the school and I work at the hospital so we need somewhere in this area, but there is nothing available.

“The council haven't been able to help - all they can offer is a place in the Homeless family unit and I don't want my family going in there.”

She remains bitter at the decision of the court to force the sale of the family home.

She said: “It still feels as if the needs of his creditors that I had no responsibility for were more important than my family.”