A CUMNOCK mum was glad that her bathroom ceiling collapsed on top of her as she says it could have killed her new baby.

Sheena Bodle who has two children, seven months old and another aged 11, is furious that a problem, which she claims has been ongoing for several years, has not been put right.

When it happened a few weeks ago, she called the emergency repairs hotline at East Ayrshire Council at 7am and was told someone would be out ‘within days’.

Since then, workers have come out and fitted a large wooden panel over the damage, telling Ms Bodle that they were told ‘just to secure the ceiling’ at her house in Richmond Terrace.

She said: “This is not the first time this has happened and I have been told by neighbours that there has been a history of problems in the house.

“Whatever is causing the ceiling to come down time after time needs to be fixed. We are now apprehensive about using the bathroom.

“The plaster fell down on me, which was bad enough, but it could have killed or seriously injured if it had fallen on one of the children.

“This has been a nightmare. Between the damage and the wait for them to come and sort it and then to just board it up — it is unacceptable.”

We contacted East Ayrshire Council on behalf of Ms Bodle.

Derek Spence Housing Asset Services Manager said: “We have been in contact with the owner of the private flat upstairs from no. 31 Richmond Terrace and they have arranged for a plumber to check all the pipework on October 5, above our tenant’s flat.

“That would appear to be where the issue is emanating from.

“On completion the owner will confirm what action their plumber has taken and if the leak has been rectified to allow us to carry out a repair to the ceiling in East Ayrshire Council’s property at no. 31”