Blackpool mum-of-six tells of shock after ceiling in Grange Park council house collapsed on her

By Shelagh Parkinson
Published 28th Nov 2023, 17:08 BST
Updated 29th Nov 2023, 19:32 BST
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now
A Blackpool mum-of-six needed hospital treatment after part of a ceiling in her council house collapsed on top of her.

Laura Conlon said she was just relieved none of her children, aged between four and 11, were in at the time of the incident which left her in shock.

The full-time mum was making a cup of tea for her dad in the kitchen of her home on Forshaw Avenue, Grange Park, when part of the ceiling fell in.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She said: “I was about to collect the kids from school and was just making a cup of tea for my dad.

Laura Conlon has been complaining to the council for months about the state of the property she lives in with her six children and recently had the ceiling fall on her head.Laura Conlon has been complaining to the council for months about the state of the property she lives in with her six children and recently had the ceiling fall on her head.
Laura Conlon has been complaining to the council for months about the state of the property she lives in with her six children and recently had the ceiling fall on her head.

“I heard a cracking noise and the ceiling in the kitchen came down almost on my head.

“There was a lot of debris and plasterboard that fell down, and what has really shocked me is it could have been my children under there. Thankfully they were all at school when it happened.”

Laura said she was taken to hospital by ambulance and spent four hours thereafter needing treatment for pains in her head, neck and back.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She has lived in the three-bedroom council house for five years and shares it with her children who include four-year-old twins.

The damaged ceiling at Laura's homeThe damaged ceiling at Laura's home
The damaged ceiling at Laura's home

Laura said she had warned Blackpool Coastal Housing, which manages homes on behalf of the council, about the state of the ceiling.

She said: “I have been complaining about it for months and warned it was dangerous. The boiler has been leaking from upstairs into the kitchen.

“I am on edge all the time, and don’t feel it is good for my children living here.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

John Donnellon, chief executive of Blackpool Coastal Housing, said: “We were sorry to hear about the partial collapse of the ceiling at this property and the understandable worry this caused, we have offered our apologies to the customer.

Laura Conlon has been complaining to the council for months about the state of the property she lives in with her six children and recently had the ceiling fall on her head.Laura Conlon has been complaining to the council for months about the state of the property she lives in with her six children and recently had the ceiling fall on her head.
Laura Conlon has been complaining to the council for months about the state of the property she lives in with her six children and recently had the ceiling fall on her head.

“As soon as the incident was reported to us, an out-of-hours officer attended to make the ceiling safe ahead of a full repair being carried out.

“Those repairs are scheduled to be carried out November 28 and have now been rearranged for November 30 at the tenant’s request.

“The property had been visited the week before this incident and a schedule of work had prepared to deal with a number of issues.”

Related topics:Blackpool