A young mother is refusing to accept a council house hundreds of miles away in a predominantly white area because she fears for her mixed-race daughter.

Lauren Bone is concerned toddler Lilianna will be subjected to racial abuse in Stoke on Trent, where ethnic minorities make up 13.6 per cent of the population.

The single mother from Chingford wants to be housed in Waltham Forest, which has is 48 per cent BAME (black, Asian and minority ethnic) and is one of the most diverse areas in the country.

But Waltham Forest Council told the 21-year-old, who has been homeless for more than a year, that the property in Staffordshire is all they can offer her.

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

“My daughter thrives in Waltham Forest and it’s not fair to take her away from people who look like her,” she said of Lilianna, 23 months old.

“Because she is mixed race she will look different and will stand out a mile away. She’s not going to fit in.

“I just don’t want her to be a victim. I feel like she will get abused – kids are evil.

“I have heard stories from friends whose mixed-race children have been abused.

“I have a sister who is mixed race and when she goes to Suffolk to visit family she gets stared at.

“If I have to go to Stoke-on-Trent I would probably be a hermit crab.”

When 26 weeks pregnant, the council assigned Ms Bone a flat in Croydon.

But in June 2107 she decided to leave the property because of a number of issues, making herself homeless in the process.

“It was the worse experience of my life,” remembers the mum-of-one.

“It was far away from my support network and after my C-section I had to climb three flights of stairs with my baby, her pushchair and her carrier.

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

“It was extremely bad. The other tenants were smoking weed and it would come under my door and my daughter and I were breathing it in.”

After leaving the flat last summer, Ms Bone and her daughter began sleeping on friends’ couches in Waltham Forest, which they continue to do today.

But after more than a year having no place of their own, Ms Bone approached the council to request accommodation.

Because of her anxiety, the single mother’s GP has recommended she not be moved away from her support network of family and friends in London.

Despite her challenging circumstances, Ms Bone says being a young parent is rewarding and having Lilianna has made her more driven.

She plans to study health and social care at university and become a youth worker to reach out to youngsters “going down the wrong path”.

She added: “She’s changed my life and has given me motivation.

“I want a better life for the both of us and to be a good role model.

“If she can go down a different route to me I will be happy.”

Cllr Louise Mitchell, Waltham Forest Council cabinet member for housing, said: “Ms Bone approached us for assistance this week and we are carrying out the statutory enquiries which we are legally obliged to perform before being able to make any offer of accommodation.

“Any offer will take into account the circumstances of the case, including medical considerations, in line with the council’s temporary accommodation policy.”