King's Lynn couple expecting triplets face raising a family in a hostel after online scam left them penniless

A Lynn family expecting triplets is facing homelessness after an "online scam" has left them penniless.

Lucy Thompson,19 lives with her partner Kieron Minister,20 and their six-month-old daughter Lacey-May Minister, paid £775 in a flat deposit after seeing a private property advertised on social media.

The property, in Wisbech, was then re-posted online under a different profile - the couple have contacted the police and fraud services to get their money back.

After speaking to Fenland Council they have now been placed in a hostel in March, along with their young daughter, miles from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Lynn where Lucy is due to give birth.

She said: "We feel mugged off and angry because of this online scam, we saw the property online and paid the deposit, we gave notice and after we were due to move in and we were told that the property was no longer available."

She also alleged the property was re-posted under a different profile and others had contacted them about the issue.

The property, in Wisbech, was ideal for the couple, who wanted to be near Lucy's family for the birth of their triplets next month.

Lucy said: "I need to go to the QEH every two weeks for neo-natal appointments and don't drive, it will take three buses to get to the hospital.

"Living in a hostel is not the correct conditions for my daughter or to raise our triplets."

The couple have contacted the police and fraud services to get their money back.

They appealed to West Norfolk Council for help with a property but said they were "not placed as priority".

Lucy said: "We were not placed in high priority on the housing list, so we've had no choice but to accept the hostel, it's affecting my pregnancy. I can't bring my babies up here."

A spokesperson for the council said:“When someone who is threatened with homelessness asks us for help with deposits or rent in advance, we will do an assessment to ensure they can afford the rent.

"This assessment covers a range of affordability criteria, for example if they will be relying on housing benefit to pay the rent we will consider the number of bedrooms in the property the applicant wants compared to the number of bedrooms they are entitled to under housing benefit rules.

"Where the assessment shows the property is not realistically affordable it would be irresponsible of us to help them secure a property that would put them in debt.”

The couple are now facing the next few weeks in the hostel with their daughter, until they hear back from housing.

They said: "Our future was planned and we had a nice house to raise our children."