A FAMILY with nine kids is facing sleeping on the streets before Christmas after they were hit with an eviction notice and council bosses have been unable to find a suitable home. 

Mum, Gemma Adkins, fear they could be kicked out any day and have nowhere to turn once they leave the home in Shoebury. 

The 32-year-old and her partner Danny Day, alongside their nine children, have been living in a rented home for the last seven years, but the landlord has decided to sell the home. 

The six-month eviction notice has now run out, and they fear they could be homeless in “the next few days”. 

The family have been pleading for the council to help and find a council home, but so far have been unsuccessful and were told they may have to be separated and sent to different hostels. 

Miss Adkins said: “We were given 6-months’ notice and so went to the Southend Council within a week but they have done nothing.

“We asked if we were able to put a bid on a 3-bedroom property, just so we can move out and get a roof over our heads, but they just refused.

“Worst case was we were told they were going to separate us over hotels.

“They would rather split a family of kids up, then squeeze them into a 3-bedroom property as a temporary means, even with Christmas right round the corner.”

The mum is scared and heartbroken at the thought of the council splitting her family up

She added: “I was utterly heartbroken and scared beyond belief, I can’t have my family separated.

“It is sick to the stomach that they could just bluntly say that without no concern or compassion, nothing.

“Mentally, it is killing me, I hardly sleep as it is on my mind 24/7 without an end to it and I am just panicking and anxious all the time.

“Every time the door goes, I think it is the bailiffs coming to kick us out, or the post man delivering our court date, it is making me ill.”

Gemma also has a medical condition called “idiopathic intracranial hypertension” where she has episodes of migraines where she can lose her vision and hearing.

Councillor Anne Jones, cabinet member for communities and housing, said: “We do all we can to make sure that families are in homes that suit their needs, but like many local authorities, the council faces an ongoing shortage of suitable, affordable properties and this makes it challenging to meet everyone’s needs right away.

“We do not comment on individual cases. However, we will always seek to provide support to families facing eviction for different reasons in various ways, including offering financial assistance by way of rent and deposits, supporting families source a rent guarantor, and working with the private sector landlords to assist families in any way we can.”