THE mother of a young child suffering from cerebral palsy and epilepsy is one step closer to having vital adaptation work carried out on her house.

Every day Wendy Hepworth, of Rothbury Drive, Darlington, struggles to carry her six-year-old daughter Samantha up and down stairs and lift her in and out the bath.

Five years ago she set her sights on having a lift and hoist in her three-bedroom house, which she bought from Darlington Borough Council three years ago.

Over the past three years, assessments have been carried out and plans for extensions and adaptations have been sent to Care and Repair, which will carry out the work funded by a disabled facilities grant.

However, the mother-of-two said in the past the proposals have amounted to nothing.

"I have been promised the grant money over and over again but I haven't got it," she said.

Wheelchair-bound Samantha, who attends Beaumont Hill Special School, developed her disabilities after birth.

Ms Hepworth said: "Now she is six she is obviously a lot bigger - I've already put my back out carrying her downstairs. She also has a tube going into her stomach to feed her and so that has to be carried with her. It is very depressing living like this. We need help to make these changes. It gets me very upset and Samantha picks up on that."

A spokesman for Darlington Borough Council confirmed that assessments had been carried out and the cost of adaptation was more than £40,000 - above the grant limit.

He said: "A further assessment has been carried out to see what adaptations can be made at a more reasonable cost."