A terminally-ill pensioner has been left feeling ‘homeless’ after his disease forced him out of his house.

Drew McCartney suffers from MND and had to stay in a caravan for months after feeling ‘trapped’ in his living room when his house became unsafe to live in as his health deteriorated.

The 67-year-old says he couldn’t get up stairs or out the front door as his motor skills began to fail. He spent nine months in a caravan with no running water before moving to a hotel annex with his wife Helen, 64, when the weather became too cold.

After applying for a more accessible house he was told there was nothing suitable available and put on a waiting list. He hopes to return to the caravan in March but isn’t sure if the weather will be warm enough.

He has put his house up for sale but hasn’t had any offers and, as he is trying to sell it, doesn’t want to fit it with a chair lift or other alterations.

Now Drew is desperate to find somewhere permanent to stay so he doesn’t have to worry where he will go next. He said: “My house is not suitable, I needed lifted in and out and didn’t want to become trapped in my living room.

“I was offered to change my bathroom to a wet room but my wife loves a bath she has already given up her job for me. I didn’t want her to have to give up any more.

“We stayed in the caravan because at least it was all level and gave me some independence. It has cost thousands of pounds to find reasonable places to stay but I can’t work and Helen had to give up her job to look after me full time. I feel like my disease has made me homeless, I can’t settle anywhere.”

Robert McCulloch, Head of Housing and Communities said: “Mr and Mrs McCartney applied for housing with the council in May 2018, requesting bungalow-type accommodation in the Cumnock area.

“They were assessed by our Occupational Therapist as requiring ground-floor, wheelchair accessible accommodation which has been, or is suitable, for adaptation. The couple have been awarded the maximum number of health and disability points.

“Mr and Mrs McCartney are reasonably well placed to receive an offer of housing. However, the turnover of suitable accommodation makes it difficult to predict when they will be successful.

“We have given them advice about widening their preferences to include additional letting areas or ground-floor accommodation, which may improve their prospects of rehousing earlier. We would also be happy to meet with them again.”