A distraught family who have been told they cannot move into their late mothers house are set to lose 60 years of memories.

Josie Hughes died on Halloween having lived in her council estate home on Ffordd Cwstenin, in Mochdre for more than 60 years.

The family home had seen more than three generations grow up and contained many memories for her six children and their families.

The three bedroom house, with disability access, has now been left vacant and Mrs Hughes daughter Teresa Farr wanted to keep the home in family by moving in herself.

It would have been a straight swap as she lives on the same Cartrefi Conwy housing estate in Mochdre in another three bedroom house, with her husband and two children - where she has been for the past 20 years.

Her husband, Kevin, is disabled but their house is not been fully adapted.

The late Mrs Hughes’ house would have been perfect with all the relevant adaptations already in place.

But Cartrefi Conwy said she had to apply for a housing register and go on a waiting list where people were ordered by those with the most urgent housing need.

Mrs Farr said: “It is very upsetting. My mum has been in that house for 60 years - my dad passed away in that house and one of my nieces was born there so we wanted to keep it in the family.

“It has all the adaptations we could have moved straight out of ours into hers.

“That house was the heart of the village we did everyhting as a family and my mum used to hold fundraisers there as well.

“My family was so happy when I said I was going to put in for my mum’s house, but now we are all very upset.”

Cartrefi Conwy seem to have already found another family to move into Mrs Hughes’ house - one that does not require disability adaptations.

Mrs Farr said she has been in contact with AM Darren Millar and Conwy County Borough Councillor (CCBC), for the Mochdre ward, Adrian Tansely to see if something can be done.

Cllr Tansley has lived in Mochdre for 70 years and said Mrs Hughes had lived in the same house the whole time.

He said it was silly that a straight swap could not be completed and sad news for the family if they had to say goodbye to more than 60 years worth of memories.

He said: “Cartrefi Conwy’s motto is making people happy, but they can put a line through that after this.

“Teresa rang up crying to me, there are lots of memories in that house and Cartrefi Conwy are going to take them away just like that.

“It is absolutely silly. I am sorry for all the family - all the brothers and sisters - I just can’t understand why Cartrefi Conwy would do something like this.

“We want people that are born and bread in Mochdre to stay in this community.”

A Cartrefi Conwy spokesperson said they sympathised with Mrs Farr but unfortunately there was nothing they could do.

The spokesperson said: “We understand the reasons why Mrs Farr has asked to move to her late mother’s adapted home and the memories it holds for her family.

“We assign our properties in line with the allocation policy we share with Conwy County Borough Council’s Housing Register to ensure we treat everyone fairly. Unfortunately, the policy does not allow us to offer Mrs Farr a move at this time.

“We do sympathise with Mrs Farr and her family and will help support them with their application to find a suitable home to meet their changed housing need.

“Anyone who wishes to move must apply to go on the housing register first and we band each successful applicant in the order of those with the most urgent housing need.

“Suitable properties are then offered and allocated to the person who has been on the housing register the longest.

“We have a large number of families on the register waiting for adapted properties across the county.”