NEW parents Mark Tucker and his girlfriend Vivita Vuna are desperate to find a place to live with their week-old baby son Morrissey.

Despite ongoing talks with South Somerset Homes, the couple are presently staying with friends in St Andrew's Road, Yeovil, where they are sleeping in the living room.

But Mr Tucker, 36, who works at the Ivelhurst Nursing Home in Yeovil, said that they were getting to the end of their tether as their hopes for a home become desperate.

"We don't care if it is just a flat, but we need somewhere of our own and be together," he said. "It's great that our friends have taken us in, but we can only stay for a certain length of time before they start getting fed-up and I don't want that to happen.

"I've been in regular contact with South Somerset Homes, but they don't seem to listen or care.

"We've got a young baby and surely it is not right that we haven't been able to get a place of our own."

Mr Tucker admitted that South Somerset Homes had offered him alternative accommodation after he was served notice to leave his privately rented flat in September.

"I submitted my housing application form back in September and so far they haven't come up with anything suitable," he said.

Mr Tucker was originally offered a place in Martock but with him in full-time employment in Yeovil and unable to drive, he declined the move.

Once his son was born on Thursday of last week, South Somerset Homes then offered him and his family accommodation at the Milford Inn in Yeovil.

But Mr Tucker said: "We went and saw the room at the Milford and it had bunk beds, a chair and a television. The room was clean and tidy, but it was so small. No disrespect to the Milford, but I don't think a pub is the best place to bring up a baby."

They were then offered accommodation in Crewkerne, but once again Mr Tucker turned it down because of the transport problems.

"We just want somewhere in Yeovil, but South Somerset Homes keep palming us off," he said. "It would probably help if I didn't work and they'd offer me a place straight away, but becoming unemployed wouldn't help anyone.

"My girlfriend is tired, tearful and this whole problem is causing us to have arguments. These should be really special times now that we have Morrissey, but it is a nightmare."

A spokesperson for South Somerset Homes said: "Mr Tucker and Ms Vuna approached South Somerset Homes in September 2003 to inform us that their landlord had served them notice to move out in January 2004.

"As we unable to do anything until they are actually homeless we advised Mr Tucker that he should look for alternative private rented accommodation as all we would be able to offer initially would be temporary accommodation.

"They officially became homeless last Thursday. On this day as they had not found alternative private rented accommodation we offered them temporary accommodation in Yeovil but they declined to take it stating that 'it was too small.'

"We then offered them alternative temporary accommodation in Crewkerne, which was a self-contained chalet with a double bed and a cot. They also declined this stating that as Mr Tucker worked in Yeovil he would not be able to get to work.

"We accept that temporary accommodation is far from ideal particularly with a new born baby but if Mr Tucker had found alternative private rented accommodation as we advised him to do so he, his partner and baby would not be in the situation that they find themselves in today.

"Mr Tucker and Ms Vuna have only been officially homeless for less than a week and so it is just not realistic to expect to be given a house straight away. With a shortage of suitable accommodation available coupled with the fact that many other families have been waiting much longer, Mr Tucker and Ms Vuna will have to wait their turn just like everyone else."