A DISABLED mother says she is forced to climb a ladder to replenish her own damaged water supply because repairmen fear they might be exposed to deadly asbestos.

Engineers working for council housing management company Ascham Homes left Ricki Cader, 43, facing daily danger just to meet her family’s basic needs, she claims.

The mother of three told the Guardian she has to climb a step ladder with a bucket to manually refill her toilet cistern after the water supply was cut.

She says she was told the problem cannot be fixed because of asbestos in her neighbour’s water tank, which is the source of the problem with the supply.

Ms Cader, who suffers from osteoporosis, had to be rescued by her daughter after falling from the ladder and lying helpless for 30 minutes.

She said: “I am angry. There were all sorts of things going through my mind. I was really hurt. I had trouble breathing properly..

“They expect you to pay £90 rent and £4.99 water rates, which is a bit of a cheek when I’m not getting any water.”

Ms Cader, of Chingford, was also recently hit on her head by a vent which fell from the her son’s bedroom wall

“I got a clump on the back of my head. At first I wondered what it was.

“Then I was really angry. I felt Ascham Homes were trying to give me brain damage,” she said. An Ascham Homes spokesman said the problem was treated as an emergency, but no-one was in when workers first called.

He added that a card asking Ms Cader to get in touch was left.

He said: "When we did attend the address, our workers found asbestos was present.

“Because of legal requirements, repair work was slightly delayed.

“The issue has now been resolved to the satisfaction of the tenant."