A young Warminster couple who are living in a damp and cramped flat with their premature baby are pleading with the authorities to provide them with a one-bed home.

Chris McEvoy and Antje Seifert, who live in a Selwood Housing studio flat in Portway Lane, celebrated the birth of their first child, Ciara, 13 weeks ago.

The baby was born four weeks premature at Salisbury Hospital weighing only 3lb 1oz and her parents say her health is being affected by the conditions they are living in with mould throughout their home.

Mr McEvoy, 32, who works at Vodafone in Trowbridge, and his partner Miss Seifert, 30, who is on maternity leave from her job as a waitress at Bishopstrow House, asked Selwood to fix the mould and draughty windows last November.The windows were finally adjusted on Friday and an extractor fan fitted in the bathroom on Tuesday.

They are still waiting for an extractor fan in the kitchen and say Selwood have refused to provide a gas heater, leaving the couple with one electric heater which is costing them more than £100 a month.

Miss Seifert said: “Chris dampproofed the bathroom when we were in hospital but by the time we were home the mould had come back. We’ve now got red mould which is really dangerous, so Selwood have told us not to bath Ciara in the bathroom, we’re having to bath her in the living room/bedroom.

“You could see the curtain moving where the draught was coming through the window. Because she’s premature she needs her calories to put weight on, not to keep her body temperature up.

“ It feels like we’re fighting a battle we’ve already lost. Sometimes I just feel like crying.”

The couple, who currently sleep and live in one room, have been on the Homes4Wiltshire register since last March but still haven’t been rehomed.

Mr McEvoy said: “Homes4 Wiltshire have not visited us for a reassessment. Even if we could have a one-bedroom house it would be better so we could get Ciara into a routine.

“We’re both employed, we’re not in arrears and we’ve always paid our rent on time. We have no faith in the system.”

A spokesman for Selwood Housing said: “Mr McEvoy first raised issues with us on November 19, 2010 concerning mould and draughts at his property.

“Since then we have undertaken a series of work using a specialist dampproofing company in order to resolve the problems. The work is on schedule to be completed this week with the application of a mould treatment and installation of an extractor fan.”

A spokesman for Wiltshire Council, which runs the Homes4Wiltshire system, said: “We understand this is a difficult situation for Mr McEvoy and his family, however we are doing everything we can to help him find alternative accommodation as soon as possible.

“He has been assessed under the Homes4Wiltshire policy based on his current situation.

“The demand for affordable housing is extremely high, but we will continue to support Mr McEvoy to find a home.”