A family was forced to use a small first-floor window to get in and out of their home after the locks were wrongfully changed, it is claimed.

Single mother-of-six, Heidi Reeve, discovered she couldn't access her council-allocated Fulbourne Road home last week.

Council housing manager Ascham Homes said the family no longer had permission to live in the temporary accomodation after she declined an offer of a “suitable” property in Purfleet, Essex.

But Ms Reeve says she was evicted illegally as the locks were changed before she was informed in writing.

“It’s disgusting, my children having to get in and out like that,” the 38-year-old said.

“I had to ask a stranger to borrow a ladder to climb close to the roof and get inside before my children got home.”

When leaving the house she had to guide her children through a broken fence as this was the only way back to the street.

“My two eldest made me make sure no one was coming along the street before they came out, they were so embarrassed and humiliated,” she said.

She added that she has contacted a solicitor and that Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy had written to the organisation for an explanation.

Currently in temporary accommodation, Ms Reeve was offered a house in Purfleet but she declined the offer because her children attend Walthamstow schools.

She also says she does not want to move them away from family and could not afford a school run from Purfleet.

An Ascham Homes spokesman said the organisation is helping Ms Reeve find alternative accommodation and claimed it was not aware of the situation with the locks.

The property’s estate agent is said to have changed them on the advice of Ascham Homes after being notified that Ms Reeve’s permission to live there had been withdrawn.

She has now offered to enter the private market to stay in Walthamstow.