THE Richardson family are having to live in a single bedroom in a bed and breakfast.
Sylvia, Tony and their three children have been sharing their tiny sleeping space since they had to leave their housing association home in September.
But while their plight may seem shocking, they are one of 7,000 families living in overcrowded conditions in Liverpool.
Housing charity Shelter highlighted the problem yesterday. A report revealed that there are more than 46,000 overcrowded households in the north west, affecting more than 123,000 youngsters.
The charity says living in such cramped conditions can have a profound effect on children.
The Richardsons, however, have the added problem that they are also classed as homeless.
They were forced out of their three-bedroomed Norris Green home after becoming the target of gangs of youths and residents, and last night were moved again, into a family centre.
Mrs Richardson, 38, says the family is desperate for a decent home of their own but need three bedrooms for herself and Tony, 40, teenage daughter Louise, 14, and sons James, 10, and six-year-old Adam.
Louise has been staying with a relative for a couple of days to relieve pressure over the school half-term.
Mrs Richardson said: "We were in just one room ata B&B, the same as some other families.
"We've been trying to finda home. We've been waiting for the housing association we were with to establish that we didn't make ourselves homeless, that we had no choice.
"We went on the property pool in the last week. But there were only two threebedroom homes in the whole of Liverpool and they weren't available to people on the homeless list.
"The children did their Christmas wish lists last week, and at the top of my sixyearold's was a house. How do we say Santa might be coming toa B&B? How do you put out the presents when you're sharing one room?"
A spokesman for Liverpool council said if the Richardsons presented themselves as homeless they would be highest
priority to find a home.
"However, it has to be recognised that there is a very limited number of three-bedroom houses available."
There are moves to help people living in overcrowded homes, but there are other categories considered to be priority such as those suffering racial abuse.
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