Pregnant mum hits out at horror mould-ridden council house that's infested with slugs

A pregnant mother claims her family was left living like 'animals' in their mould-ridden council home for months - with walls and floors covered in slugs.

Hollie Dryden claims they would find around 50 slugs a week and end up stepping on them while barefoot daily in the house rented from North Tyneside Council.

The 29-year-old says she told the council in February that the property in Cramlington in Northumberland, was infested with creatures and covered in mould.

However despite multiple phone calls back and forth, Hollie claims it took four months for the council to send an inspector to assess the problem and fix a few issues.

The mum says her kids were stepping on slugs barefoot every day and she had begun to grow concerned about the health of her children and her unborn child.

A horrifying photo shows seven slugs found in the family home, which Hollie claims was the average number of slimy invaders they would find most evenings.

She claims the final straw was when she discovered bugs festering on mould in her toilet and told the council her family would not be living in the house any longer.

The nursery worker says North Tyneside Council eventually put the family into hotels and a private Airbnb from the end of July 2025 while they waited for temporary council accommodation.

And, following the birth of Hollie's third child Freya, the family-of-five are still living in short-term housing while the council carry out work on their 'mould-ridden' home.

North Tyneside Council said they have been working with the family since it was reported to them and as a 'precautionary measure' have arranged for temporary accommodation while the property is assessed and further work is carried out.

Hollie is now speaking out about the 'squalid' living conditions she claims the council left her young family in for nearly a year.

Hollie, from Cramlington in Northumberland, said: "The council leaving us in this position for so long makes me feel like we're animals and not even human.

"I've been a council tenant for 10 years and I'm a good tenant and always paid rent on time.

"I don't understand why the council would leave us in total squalor. My family deserves better.

"The slugs started happening in winter. My kids began to get quite terrified.

"My daughter came downstairs with me one morning and she said she had stood on something and she showed me her foot and there was a slug stuck to it.

"Me being pregnant really pushed us to get this sorted. I didn't want to bring another child into the world and feel like I've failed them."

She moved into the house in October 2024 with her husband Jonny Vickers, 30, and two children Leo, 10, and Maisie, five.

At first, the 29-year-old said she was excited to have more space in their new three-bedroom property, especially when she found out she was expecting again.

But after moving in, the mum-of-three claims problems began to arise in the home that soon saw them living like 'animals' in a mould-ridden, damp pad.

While she claims the council has said it will be safe for her family to return to their home soon, she would like to be issued a new council home for a fresh start.

Hollie said: "We are still in this property from the council and it's safe.

"They said they are going to do all the work to the house but while it dries out I might still find damp and mould.

"The council said they will inspect my property six weeks after they have done the work to check if it's all okay.

"I've told them I'm not going back to that properly with my family until all the checks have been done.

"The best solution for all of us as a family is to find somewhere brand new for a fresh start.

"It keeps me awake that I could potentially bring my newborn and children into a house and then find mould again in the winter and have to go through all this again. I don't want to do that."

North Tyneside Council said they have a specialised team responding to concerns about condensation, mould and damp.

They claim to have introduced an 'innovative video diagnosis system' for residents to report issues to them.

Peter Mennell, Director of Housing and Property Services, said: "I am sorry for the difficulties that Ms Dryden and her family have been experiencing. We understand the impact these issues can have on health and wellbeing. We take all reports of damp and mould extremely seriously and invest heavily in specialist teams to deal with condensation, mould and damp.

"We have been working with the family since February when we were made aware of minor black spot mould in the property. We carried out remedial work and provided preventative guidance. A further survey has been done, and as a precautionary measure, we have arranged for temporary accommodation while the property is assessed and further work is carried out.

"We are also doing some additional works to the property at the request of the family. A follow-up inspection will be carried out in six weeks to ensure that all issues have been fully resolved. We'll continue to work with our tenant closely to ensure the best possible solution for her and her family."