A YORK family of six will spend Christmas in temporary bed-and-breakfast accommodation after being evicted from their home.

As reported in later editions of yesterday's Evening Press, a judge ordered Ian Horner, his partner, Julie Grimes, and her four children to leave their council home in Mowbray Drive, Acomb, yesterday, after they ignored a possession notice issued by City of York Council in October.

The family, who initially failed to leave the property within the four-hour deadline, moved out after bailiffs and police attended the house.

Steve Waddington, assistant director of housing at City of York Council, said the family had vacated the property by mid-afternoon and attended the customer advice service at the Guildhall to be allocated temporary accommodation for the time being.

He said they had been provided with bed-and-breakfast accommodation for 28 days while officers conducted an investigation into their case.

"The eviction passed without major incident," he said.

Yesterday, an emotional Mr Horner, 34, spoke to his solicitor on the phone, claiming he had done nothing wrong and had been victimised.

He said: "I am being victimised because I am a big bloke.

"Every other resident is willing to back me up. I have friends on this estate and the kids have settled in school."

Neighbours reacted to the eviction with mixed opinions as they watched the family move out.

Phillip Burns, 22, said the family offered to cook Christmas dinner and had been very good friends to him.

Chris Baker, 27, whose mother Doreen Thackrey lives in the street, said he knew that neighbours had had problems with Mr Horner, but disagreed with the pre-Christmas eviction.

Eleven residents in Mowbray Drive and Viking Road had signed a petition against the family's eviction, which neighbour Maureen Karatas hoped to hand to York MP Hugh Bayley.

The petition argued that the family should be allowed to stay, particularly as their children were settled.

Updated: 10:02 Thursday, December 23, 2004