Weston home raffled for £3 after owners' mortgage refusal

The four-bedroom home in Worle is valued at £350,000 and the winner would have legal costs and stamp duty paid

A family is raffling their four-bedroom home to raise the funds to hopefully upsize with their seven children after being refused a new mortgage.

Leoni Webb and physics teacher Declan Garrett were told by four lenders there were "affordability issues" because of the size of their family.

They said they hoped to raise more than the £350,000 house valuation but needed to sell thousands of £3 tickets yet.

If they fail to reach their target the winner receives a cash prize instead.

Leoni Webb and Declan Garrett are married and have seven children from previous relationships

In that event the family said they would stay put in their current home and look to extend the house further.

Leoni Webb, 35, has four children from a previous relationship, and 38-year-old Declan Garrett has three.

He said: "We were told that because we had so many children all we could borrow was £50,000, which wouldn't buy you a beach hut round here. A case of computer just says no."

UK Finance represents lenders and said: "Lenders carry out a thorough income and expenditure assessment ahead of any new borrowing to ensure mortgages are affordable in the long term.

"It would not be in the customer's best interest to borrow more than they can reasonably afford and each lender will develop their own approach depending on their risk appetite."

The family's target is to sell 300,000 tickets to raise £900,000.

"Somebody could get this house mortgage-free," Ms Webb said.

"We give £90,000 to Raffique [the company the raffle is being organised through].

"Then we pay the legal costs and stamp duty for the new owner. After we pay off our outstanding mortgage we'd have about £600,000 to get a five-bedroom house around here."

The children age from five to 12 years

The extra bedroom was needed as more of the children became teenagers, she said.

They have already converted the garage of the house in Worle into a bedroom. The house has a large front and rear garden, two bathrooms and a utility room.

Some 12,000 tickets have been sold and the raffle is due to end on Friday.