A disabled woman has lashed out at a Westminster housing company after leaking water pipes left her Westbourne Green flat a 'death trap'.

Gloria Abdelmalak, of Polesworth House in Alfred Road, says she has been forced to sleep on the sofa for the last five months, after her mattress was left soaked by the flooding.

The 54-year-old, who suffers from the degenerative lung disease emphysema, claims Westminster Council's housing arm CityWest Homes has not been round to clear up the mess, including wallpaper which has been left peeling from the walls.

Her flat has been flooded twice by a leaking bath in a flat above hers, the first time in May and the second time on September 20.

Ms Abdelmalak, who has lived in her flat for 10 years, said: "I've tried drying out my clothes on the balcony, but have ended up having to throw them away, as they were ruined by the water. I really can't afford to replace them.

"I'm disabled and it feels like I'm living in a death trap, as the plaster on the walls is cracking and everything in the house smells of damp. It can't be good for my health to have to sleep on the sofa every night for five months."

Chairman of the British Lung Foundation Dr Keith Prowse added his concerns about Ms Abdelmalak's health. He said: "For people with chronic lung disease such as emphysema, damp conditions in the house may aggravate their condition, especially if it's also cold.

"There's also an increase in the likelihood of infection.

"Damp conditions can also lead to mould, which can irritate the airways and is particularly harmful to people who have lung disease."

A CityWest Homes spokesman said: "We're aware of the flooding that this particular resident experienced, which originated from a leak in the bath from the flat above. We fixed this problem on the same day that it was reported to us.

"We apologise for the inconvenience that this has caused and we intend to investigate the cause of this problem."