THE parents of six children have defended themselves against the severe criticism they have received for demanding a bigger council home.

A lot of the complaints highlighted the fact that neither Christian Lorey, 30, nor his partner Hayley Green, 33, work and that they receive more than £30,000 a year in benefits. But when he spoke to the Post yesterday Mr Lorey insisted the problem was all about space — and not the money they received from Swansea Council.

"It has got absolutely nothing to do with the money," said Mr Lorey, who has asked the council to move his family out of their three-bedroom house in Heol Cefni, Caemawr.

"Even if I got a job tomorrow it would make no difference if we were still living in a house which is too small for us."

The family said they have been on the waiting list for a new home for 11 months.

The council has offered them a new home but Mr Lorey said he did not want to live in a "worse" part of Swansea.

After the story in yesterday's Post — in which the family said their life was "chaos" in the tiny home — more than 60 people left messages in the comments section of our website thisissouthwales in a matter of hours. One reader, williamwaun, said: "If I can't afford something I won't have it. There are plenty of jobs around — go and pay for your own children."

Another reader, calling himself liberty_jack, later added: "This is symptomatic of the nanny state which is engendered in this country. How many work for significantly less than this guy pulls from our taxes?

"Another example of why the cap in benefits needs to be introduced, and quickly."

Taylors1234 was one of the minority of people on the site defending the couple: "Well I think a bigger house is needed for them. You are all stating the fact about money and not a mention about their son with disabilities and asthma."

Reader comments have been removed from this story as they did not comply with our house rules.