A HOMELESS couple who have camped on a riverbank for three months have been told they could soon be found a new house.

Kevin and Susan Howe, who are living in a tent at Barnard Castle, County Durham, were told this week a housing team wants to come to their rescue.

The Tees Valley Housing Group, to which they applied for help, sent a letter stating: "We hope we will be able to fulfil your requirements in due course."

The customer services department of the group, based in Middlesbrough, added: "We will contact you as soon as a suitable property becomes available. We look forward to re-housing you."

Mr Howe, a 44-year-old former soldier, said: "This is the break we have been praying for. We hope to have a proper roof over our heads in the very near future."

His 38-year-old wife said: "We realise we may have to move some distance from Barnard Castle, as the group's properties are in other areas, but that doesn't matter, as long as it's a normal house.

"We hoped we could go on living near here, but there doesn't seem much chance of a house after all this time, so we must make up our minds to move away."

The couple were evicted from a Home Housing semi in Barnard Castle due to £2,500 rent arrears. They claim this was not their fault as the debt piled up when they expected housing benefit, which was eventually refused.

They have been in touch with social workers and say they have now got their finances in order and started paying off the arrears.

Mrs Howe added: "We have told the Tees Valley people our history, so it is really pleasing they are willing to give us a home. We will be careful tenants."

The couple have had extra comfort in the past week on their pitch beside the River Tees after being given a large three-roomed tent by a family in Willington.

And this week Heather Mitchell, of Barnard Castle, gave them a garden table and chairs.

A Tees Valley Housing Group spokesman said: "The couple's circumstances will be taken into account in line with our allocation policy, as are those of every applicant."