A FAMILY traumatised by the sudden death of their daughter as she slept were told they will not be rehoused from their overcrowded council home because the tragedy is “not a good enough reason”.

Chris Allen, 27, and his partner Paula Crowie, 31, along with their five young children, have been left devastated after eight-year-old Alisia Allen died from a brain haemorrhage last month.

Her body was discovered by sisters Alisha, 10, and Nicole, 9, when they tried to wake her in the night to get a glass of water.

The distraught family, who live in a three-bedroom property in Raglan Road, Walthamstow, are too upset to return to the house and are staying with various relatives across east London because there is nowhere big enough for them to stay together.

Mr Allen, who works for a carpet firm, asked the council to rehome his family but was told after an emergency meeting at the town hall that the death was not a sufficient reason to move them.

He said: “My children are traumatised. They are crying all the time and one of my daughters can't even go to the toilet on her own now she is so upset.

There is no way the children want to go back and sleep in the bedroom where their sister died.

“I think it's absolutely disgusting. We've been on the housing waiting list for nearly ten years and me and my partner have had to sleep on the floor because there was never enough room. We see people moving in and out all the time.

"But then even after this has happened I get told it is not a good enough reason. So what is?

“They don't seem to understand what we're going through.”

Mr Allen was told he could appeal against the decision, but only when he received formal written notification.

That was three weeks ago and, despite repeated calls, it is yet to arrive.

“Our family need to be together now more than ever,” he said. “This has been so hard and the only thing that keeps me going now is my children.

"We're desperate and we just want the council to help us.”

A council spokesman said: "The council would like to apologise for the delay in making a formal decision in this case, and would like to extend sincere condolences to the family for their loss.

"The council has been in contact with the family and will be working closely with them to find a solution to their current situation."

Ascham Homes, which manages the property, said it supported the council but was not responsible for rehousing decisions.

Click here to follow the Waltham Forest Guardian on Twitter