AN expectant mother has appealed to council bosses to make her home "fit to live in" before her third child is born.

Amanda Pipe, 24, claims her semi-detached home in Constantine Avenue, York, is unsafe for her young family, with a derelict concrete shed, smashed glass in the garden and broken fencing.

The mother-of-two, who is eight weeks pregnant, said the council promised her the house in January.

But by the time they moved there in June, it had been ruined by youths who gathered there.

She said since the family moved in they have endured a frightening gas leak, being forced to move the children out so broken glass could be cleared, and a garden full of rubbish and scrap.

Council bosses have admitted that Mrs Pipe has received a "poor" standard of service, but contractors have cleared the garden, repaired parts of the property and installed replacement windows.

In a letter, contract manager Tom Brittain said a worker who had checked Mrs Pipe's gas fire had not completed full checks and had been sacked.

Mrs Pipe said: "My main concern is that my kids are happy and safe. I'm not fighting for myself - I'm fighting for them because we don't want to live like this."

She said the house was generally in a poor state, with dirty and undecorated kitchen walls and graffiti on exterior walls.

Steve Waddington, assistant director, community services, said residents were informed as early as possible so they can prepare for their move, but the property first needed "considerable renovation".

He said: "Though the kitchen and bathroom may not to be to Ms Pipe's taste, the house was inspected by a maintenance surveyor to check for any problems in May, before the family moved in, and we have no record of any issues.

"However, our tenants' choice scheme will be offering residents in the Constantine Avenue area a chance to choose from a range of new kitchens and bathrooms within the next financial year, as part of our modernisation work."

Updated: 10:42 Saturday, September 20, 2003