Pictures show the "appalling" conditions inside of a block of flats which experts say are the "worst they've ever seen".

Families living in a tower block in South Norwood say they have been forced to live amongst thick layers of mould and severe damp, whilst trying to manage the leaking ceilings.

Residents in the 11-floor building in Regina Road told ITV that they have been complaining to their landlord, Croydon Council, of leaks in their flats since 2019.

Fransoy Hewitt lives on the ground floor with her two sons, aged five and seven, told ITV how she first noticed damp and mould around 18 months ago.

The floors of their flat are soaking wet, and black mould has enveloped the kitchen, making it unusable, said ITV.

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The wet conditions has given Fransoy no choice but to unplug her fridge to avoid electrocution. The Damp has forced the whole family to live in one room to cook, eat, play and sleep in.

The mother-of-two says the way she's been treated "makes me feel like I am not even human".

She said: "I'm not coping. There is only so much I can get angry about and pull my hair out - I just feel like I'm going to kill myself if I continue like that."

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Fransoy believes the conditions are having a detrimental effect on her family's health and said she has to put vapour rub on her five-year-old son's chest to help him breathe at night.

Leroy McNally, who lives on the floor above, showed ITV the shocking conditions in his flat, which saw buckets placed in the living room to collect dripping water.

"Every night I go to bed at twelve, and I wake up at 6am to empty the buckets," he said.

Your Local Guardian: ITV: Leroy McNallyITV: Leroy McNally

Polly Neate, chief executive of housing charity Shelter, said: “This is really bad. It’s definitely the worst I've seen, just in terms of the sheer unlivability of it. I mean, there really isn't any possible way, that those properties are fit for human habitation.

“Can you even imagine having to live like that... in lockdown? There’s absolutely no excuse for it at all.”

Jeff Charlton, an independent environmental hygienist, said: “This is the kind of property I would expect to see in a run-down area in the 1970s. It’s hard to believe this is Britain in 2021."

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In a statement to ITV, a spokesperson for Croydon Council said: “We were very concerned to learn of these issues at these properties, and the photographs we have seen show conditions that are clearly not acceptable.

“We are sorry that these residents have not had the level of care for their homes that they rightly expect, and we will be looking into what has happened as a matter of urgency.”

Croydon Council also issued an apology on their website and said that an investigation has since been launched.

In the statement the council said that they've since moved the residents out of the tower block.

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The statement on Monday, March 22 said: “Croydon Council has taken immediate action to repair properties in Regina Road and launched an investigation after conditions at the flats were brought to our attention.

“It appears that the situation which is being caused by a leak in a property above has deteriorated rapidly since our contractor carried out repairs in February.

"We have since moved these residents out while we carry out further investigations and repair their properties.

“We are very sorry that these residents have not had the proper level of care and the standards at these homes are not what we would want or expect for any of our tenants.

"We are carrying out an investigation into how this has happened as a matter of urgency.”