A MOTHER of five has won a temporary reprieve from eviction - thanks to an Evening Press appeal.

Sharon Dawson was told earlier this month her family would be evicted from their temporary council house in Bell Farm, York, on Friday.

She has now been given until April 4 to try to find alternative accommodation.

Speaking after a hearing to suspend the eviction order made against her, Sharon said: "The judge gave me 14 extra days to find somewhere.

"He said it would give me time make another appeal in the paper. If there's a landlord or estate agents out there who can help me save my kids from going into care, can they please get in touch?

"Me and the girls have been so stressed by this that my dad has come down from Newcastle to support us."

Her father, Martin Wardrobe, said: "I'm in a residential home, but I had to come down straight away.

"How can the council do this to a woman with five kids?"

A City of York Council spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that, at the court hearing, Mrs Dawson was given more time in the temporary council accommodation that she currently occupies so that she can continue her search for alternative, permanent accommodation."

As reported in the Evening Press in February, the council started proceedings to evict Sharon and her daughters from their temporary accommodation in Bell Farm after she turned down a property offered to her in Tang Hall.

Sharon, a mature student at York College, said she did not realise that by turning down one property, she forfeited her right to another permanent council house.

She has been receiving help and advice from the Citizens' Advice Bureau (CAB).

Caroline Anderson, a case worker on the rent deposit guarantee scheme, said: "Sharon is signed up with our scheme, so if she finds a property, we can help with the deposit."

She explained that the under the scheme, the CAB gave landlords a written undertaking that it would cover repair costs up to £600.

Despite this, Sharon has struggled to find letting agencies which will accept tenants claiming housing benefit.

She said: "I could understand it if I was a nuisance neighbour, or I was being evicted for rent arrears. But I can get lots of good references from the houses I've been in."

Gillian Moizer, a partner at Minster Property, said: "From what I'm aware, very few letting agents in York take tenants on housing benefit."

Updated: 11:33 Monday, March 20, 2006