A FAMILY who face losing their home if a village hall is demolished have spoken for the first time about how the uncertainty is taking its toll.

Amanda and John Nicholson are in a constant state of limbo, knowing a letter could arrive any day giving them two months' notice to pack up and leave their home, after eight years of family life there.

They live at 14 The Village, Haxby, next to Haxby Memorial Hall. The hall's future is under scrutiny, with the threat of demolition among the options being explored.

Their home, the old schoolmaster's house which is held in trust, could also be torn down to make way for a modern, glass structure complete with a new library if that idea wins support.

"We live here because my wife is the caretaker of the hall and the house comes with the job," said John.

"If the hall is demolished our home goes too. We will be evicted with only two months notice. The new building won't have a caretaker." He said a Memorial Hall trustee told them in January 2004 their home was earmarked for demolition. "We still live under threat of eviction," said the father-of-two.

Amanda said: "Our tempers are fraught, we don't sleep, we argue. We are always waiting, constantly from month to month for the notice. There's no set date. It has been a nightmare. No one seems to appreciate our situation."

She said they only left their council home in Acomb because the caretaker's role was considered a long-term post.

"Until 2003 we thought the house would be safe because they needed a caretaker on site because of problems with youths and for emergencies." When it was revealed that Haxby Library might relocate to the site, they realised they could become homeless, because that part of the scheme would mean their house had to be demolished.

But the couple did not break the news to their youngest daughter Catherine, eight, until this year. "She has been here since she was six months old. It is her home," said Amanda, who is keen to remain in Haxby where she runs three playgroups and Catherine attends school. Their eldest daughter, Natalie, also works in the village. They tried to register on the council's housing waiting list - but were told to wait until they received their notice.

"We are in limbo all the time. We can't move forward because we have no time-scale. And if we don't have to move we don't want to," said Amanda.

Updated: 10:52 Tuesday, August 09, 2005