A couple who have multiple sclerosis (MS) have been left unable to access their bathroom for a week after rot was discovered.

Nancy and Christian Rolfe use wheelchairs to get around their specially adapted ground-floor flat in Barming.

In addition, Mr Rolfe, 47, recently had an operation for bowel cancer that has left him with a permanent stoma bag.

They had hoped that their life would get easier after they were awarded a disabled facilities grant to improve their Hyde Housing association flat.

They were looking forward to a new floating basin in their wet-room so that they could use it in their wheelchairs and also an ultra modern toilet that would include a bidet facility.

But when workmen came on Monday to fit the new facilities, disaster struck.

As they took up the floor of the wet-room, half the tiles on two walls fell off, exposing a rotten wood framework behind covered in fungal spores.

Mrs Rolfe, 50, said: "Underneath the floor was a massive pool of water, which it turned out had also leaked through under the wall into our kitchen and lounge area, causing the wooden floor there to start coming up."

No immediate cause of the leak was found and the working theory is that the wet-room floor had simply never been sealed properly on installation and that the water had built up over the years.

However, the kitchen wall will also have to be demolished and rebuilt because of the damp.

The workmen immediately downed tools, saying that they couldn't carry out the repairs safely while the couple were in the house because of the health risk.

Both are susceptible to infection because of their medical conditions, with Mr Rolfe particularly at risk.

A surveyor, sent round by Hyde Housing to the flat in Oaken Drive on Wednesday, confirmed they would need to move out until the work was done.

Mrs Rolfe said: "I immediately got on the phone to Hyde, to MBC and to adult social services, trying to find someone who would find us alternative housing while the work is carried out, but I was just pushed from pillar to post."

Mr Rolfe's brother, Wes Rolfe, was incensed on their behalf. He said: "My brother first told Hyde there was damp in the kitchen area 18 months ago - they just sent someone out who painted over it, instead of nipping the problem in the bud.

"Christian is at particular risk of infection and needs to keep very clean because of the stoma bag.

"But Hyde have now left him for a week with literally no access to washing facilities. They are putting his heath at risk."

Wes, who has also been chasing Hyde for action on his brother's behalf, said: "Every time you ring, you get somebody new and have to go through the whole story again. Then they say they will phone you back and they never do."

Mrs Rolfe said:"There's been a lot of publicity recently about damp and the danger to health from these spores. We are worried."

Mark Batchelor, Hyde’s director of property services, said: "Our customers’ bathroom is in the process of being modernised and we discovered that additional works need to be carried out.

"The work means that they will not have shower facilities although there is a working toilet and basin.

"So that we can carry out this work as quickly and efficiently as possible, our customers will need to move out of their home temporarily.

"Hyde colleagues are working work with them to ensure that suitable temporary accommodation is found and we’ll ensure that we’ll remain in contact with them throughout the process.”