CAPEL St Mary kidney patient, Louise Kelly, has criticised elderly people who remain alone in large council houses after their families have left home.

CAPEL St Mary kidney patient, Louise Kelly, has criticised elderly people who remain alone in large council houses after their families have left home.

Ms Kelly, needs a larger house to store all the equipment needed for her home dialysis treatment. She lives in a one-bedroomed bungalow and said she had been told she might have to wait for a suitable place.

The 34-year-old has been diabetic since she was 11 and subsequently developed kidney problems following an infection.

Now she has been told she will have to start home dialysis treatment, which will mean 40 boxes of fluid bags being delivered to her home each month.

She said she has no room to store them in her tiny bungalow.

But she said she knew of several single elderly people who were living alone in three-bedroomed council houses.

She said: "It's selfish. They're literally blocking homes. I'm not asking for a house, just an extra room, either a two-bedroomed bungalow or a flat."

Ian Tippett, Babergh District Council's housing needs manager said: "Babergh is both aware of and sympathetic to Louise Kelly's condition and is keen to help her as much as is possible.

"Indeed it was through Babergh's intervention that Ms Kelly's points allocation was increased to take account of her medical condition."