A FAMILY of eight desperate to move out of their tiny council house said they were shocked when the council suggested they “buy fewer toys” to make room.

Christian Lorey, 30, and his 33-year-old partner Hayley Green said life is chaos with six children crammed into their three-bed home in Heol Cefni, Caemawr.

“It is absolutely hectic,” said Mr Lorey.

“The kids are fighting all the time because it is so cramped.

“They are getting no sleep because of it and waking up shattered.

“One of them is only two and he wakes everyone else up all the time.

“The house is so full it really isn’t comfortable.”

Mr Lorey said he has been on the waiting list to move into to bigger home for a year.

But he was even more outraged by what he said was the council’s latest suggestion.

“They told me if I wanted more space in the house I shouldn’t buy my kids any more toys,” he said.

“How is that going to be when they wake up on Christmas morning to no presents?”

Swansea Council did not confirm or deny it had told the family not to buy any more toys.

But a spokesman said in a statement: “The housing service is aware of the family’s current housing need and their request to move to larger accommodation.

“But Mr Lorey is limiting his options because he has told us he only wants to move to a particular area of the city.

“We will continue to provide advice and assistance in order to achieve a positive outcome for Mr Lorey and his family.”

Mr Lorey confirmed the council had offered him another house, but he said this was still too small for six children.

He also said he did not want to move into a “worse area” of Swansea than the one in which he currently lives.

He and his partner have five boys, aged 2, 3, 9, 12, and 13.

Their 10-year-old girl, Nikkisha Green, has a room to her self.

But the five boys — including 13-year-old Corey Green, who has disabilities and severe asthma — are forced to share.

Mr Lorey suffers from depression and does not work. His partner is a housewife.

He said he does not claim incapacity benefit but that the family receives around £580 a week from child benefit, tax credits and disability living allowance.

The £74-a-week rent for the house is paid by the local authority and is already deducted from this total.

“We just want to find somewhere where we can live our life in reasonable peace,” he added.

alex.smith@swwmedia.co.uk