A desperate mother of four who has mobility issues says her life is being made a misery because the lifts in her block of flats keep breaking down.

Sevil Thomas said she cannot cope with the lift's unreliability and struggles to get out of her fourth floor flat in Edison Court, Shepherd’s Bush, to do everyday chores, such as picking up specially prescribed milk for her seven-month-old baby, taking rubbish out and the school runs.

The mum of four daughters who uses crutches after having a hip replacement operation said: “They keep fixing it but it keeps breaking down again.

"I have had enough. I feel trapped, I really do."

She added: “I can’t tell you how much this effects me, effects us all. It’s taken my life.”

She has lived in Edison Court, in Warple Way, since 2014.

The lifts would intermittently stop working, every two or three months, but over the past 12 months it constantly breaks down, she said.

The block is managed by Genesis Housing, which has sent repair men to fix the lifts, but these are usually short-term and with a few days they are again out of order.

It is having a demoralising effect on her family, Miss Thomas said.

Her oldest daughter, aged 14, is autistic, and faced with the challenges of descending to 80-odd steps, she missed her school bus last week, leaving her “devastated and upset”.

A drawing by Miss Thomas' five-year-old daughter, showing her family trapped in their flat by the broken lift

Her second child, aged 12, is fed up and wants to move out, while Miss Thomas’ five-year-old daughter was forced to miss a birthday party on Saturday (December 10) because her mother could not tackle the stairs.

After the birth of her fourth daughter she was forced to stay in a hotel because of the lift situation.

Miss Thomas has constantly complained to Genesis Housing but feels she is being fobbed off.

She said: “It’s no joke, there are times when I can’t go out for four or five days."

“It’s disgusting how I’m treated. It’s really horrible living like this,” she added.

A spokesperson for Genesis said: “We are sorry for delays and will try and resolve this asap working with contractors.”

And an 'obituary notice' written by Miss Thomas' 12-year-old daughter

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