A MOTHER-OF-THREE who has to sleep on a sofa because of lack of space has been offered a new home - but it's the same size.

Debbie Clarridge has waited five years for a bigger council house for her and her teenage sons and disabled daughter.

But when City of York Council finally offered her a new house, it was another two-bedroomed home.

Council tenant Miss Clarridge, who lives in a two-bedroom house in Thanet Road, Acomb, has been asking to be re-housed in a three-bedroom house ever since her daughter, Helen, was born five years ago.

Her home is so small that she has to sleep on the sofa so her daughter, who suffers from Rubenstein disease, a form of autism, can get a good night's sleep in one of the two bedrooms. Her sons, Darren, 14, and Brian, 16, share the other bedroom.

Miss Clarridge said she was relieved when the council offered her a new house. But her relief turned to disappointment when she discovered the "three-bedroom house" they were offering her was actually a two-bedroom house with a dining room.

She said: "It's a complete joke. It's exactly the same size as the home we're in now."

She also said the house they had been offered in Wains Road, Dringhouses, was unsuitable as there was no fencing outside to stop Helen wandering off.

She said: "It's worse than the house we've got at the moment. I have been waiting for this offer for five years.

"I am desperate for a bigger house for the sake of my daughter."

Jim Crook, director of Community Services at City of York Council, said: "We accept Deborah Clarridge's need for a three-bedroom house, but because we have a fairly limited number of larger family homes we are unable to offer her one immediately.

"When a two-bedroom house with an additional reception room became available within Ms Clarridge's preferred area, the allocations team tried to help the family by offering it to them because, although we appreciate that it isn't ideal, it is larger than their current home. If Deborah decides not to accept the offer, she will remain on the waiting list for a three-bedroom house."

Updated: 09:41 Saturday, June 21, 2003