Homeless couple describe month spent sleeping in car

Emil Tosnar and Julie Clifford claim that Buckinghamshire Council has graded their case as not "high priority"

A homeless couple who are sleeping in their car have called for the local council to urgently rehome them.

Emil Tosnar and Julie Clifford, from High Wycombe, say they have been parking up at a different spot each night since 18 December.

They claimed Buckinghamshire Council told them they were not "high priority".

The local authority said it would speak to the pair on Thursday.

"I can't take much more. I don't know how much longer I can do it," said Ms Clifford, 49.

"You can't get warm no matter what. I'm crying in the night."

'It's killing us'

The pair said they were living with Mr Tosnar's elderly father until the relationship "broke down".

A council housing officer was assigned to their case but they said the individual had only spoken to them once since becoming homeless.

Former builder Mr Tosnar said: "To be sleeping in a car for a month is a killer. It is not good at all. It has gone on long enough.

"It is killing us."

The Local Democracy Reporting Service has seen a letter written by Ms Clifford's GP which refers to her "significant mental health issues" and states she "is in need of accommodation urgently".

Accommodation was offered in northern England, and the couple said they filled out the relevant application, but had not heard back.

Mark Winn, Buckinghamshire Council’s Conservative cabinet member for homelessness and regulatory services, said: "For confidentiality reasons and to protect individuals' welfare, we do not publicly discuss details of people’s personal housing cases.

"However, we will be in contact with this couple today and continue to offer support to help them to resolve the issues.

"We strongly urge them to engage with us."