A mum and daughter have “finally had a good night’s sleep” after having to spend the night outside due to the strong smell of sewage under the floor of their home.

Linda Porter and her daughter Tara, who live in Bethersden Court in Maidstone, have now been put up in a Premier Inn by their housing company.

They have both been feeling unwell since the odour started last Friday and had to sleep outside on Tuesday evening because the smell was so bad.

The 51-year-old previously told KentOnline: “My neighbours have all been in, they've got as far as the front door, took one breath, gagged, and carried on gagging as they turned back out to walk out.”

Linda received a call at around 7.40pm on Wednesday while she was getting ready to sleep outside the house for a second night.

She said: “I tried phoning them back and was told a message would be left so I just left it.

“We set up camp again and one of the neighbours put a tarpaulin up because the gazebo was impacted by the wind.

“We were laying in our beds with the fire on and then we got the call from Golding Homes.”

The pair were told to make their way to the Premier Inn in Maidstone town centre where a room was waiting for them for the night, and Linda said they “finally had a good night’s sleep”.

They checked out at 9am yesterday and headed back home. However, she said: “We weren’t made aware that we’d have to pay £7 for parking so I’m going to keep my receipts and send them the bill.

“I said to them the traffic in Maidstone is absolutely horrendous so they need to rethink where we can go because I need to be close to my parents. If anything happens I need to get to them as soon as possible.”

Linda, who suffers from health issues including osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia and high blood pressure, cares for her parents who live in Park Wood.

A Golding Homes worker attended the address yesterday and drainage workers visited the home.

Linda said the workers told her there is a hole in the pipe running directly under her lounge which they think is causing the smell and that they “may have to dig the lounge up”.

She got a call at 5.30pm yesterday to say they would be putting her in the Premier Inn for the next seven days, so they went there again last night.

She said: “We’ve got no idea how long we’re going to be out of our home.

“We’re going to be there while they figure out temporary accommodation, but it’s better than sleeping outside.”

Rachel McFarlane, director of customer experience at Golding Homes, said: “We’re sorry for the distress caused to Ms Porter and her family.

“Their welfare is important to us, so we’ve moved them out of the home while this matter is investigated by our specialist contractor who is attending today.

“We’ll continue to talk to Ms Porter and support her with alternative accommodation while we await their report and details of any work needed to put this right.”