A Sheppey family whose home was transformed by DIY SOS: The Big Build eight months ago has spoken about how the TV show has improved their lives.

In September, presenter Nick Knowles and his team, along with dozens of tradespeople, worked hard to demolish and rebuild the home of Kyle and Garry Ratcliffe to make life-changing improvements for them and their children.

The couple, who have been married for nine years, spent eight weeks away while their property in Elmley Road, Brambledown, was built from scratch in just nine days.

It was transformed from a three-bedroom bungalow, with one bathroom, to a spacious house with five bedrooms and three bathrooms.

Kyle, 39, and Garry, 43, have four adopted children, three with very complex and life-limited medical conditions.

Stay-at-home dad Kyle said: “You know when you go to the dentist and sit and read through the glossy homes magazines at the amazing designer houses? Well that’s what we now live in, a beautiful, glossy magazine home."

“Our forever family now has a forever home."

He added: “We were happy in our old house but we didn’t realise how disabling it was and how we had outgrown it to the extent we had.”

The DIY SOS team looked to extend the Ratcliffe’s home but realised it would be impossible so demolished it at the beginning of September. They returned on October 4 to rebuild it.

Kyle said: "When we first walked into the new home, we couldn’t believe it was ours. It was like an Aladdin’s cave, we didn’t know where to look first.

“We’d like to say thanks to every single person involved in the project in one way or another. You’ve all made our children’s lives so much easier and just perfect.”

The Sheppey project was the first time in DIY SOS history, the team’s ambitious brief was to completely demolish and replace a dilapidated home.

The hour-long episode was shown on BBC One tonight.

For the full report and more pictures of the Ratcliffe's home, grab a copy of next Wednesday's Sheerness Times Guardian.