An elderly couple have been forced to sleep in their living room for two years - after a burst water main destroyed the foundations of their home.

A sinkhole is thought to have led to the major leak under the pavement outside Marilyn and Michael Stapleton's bungalow in Ramsgate.

The serious damage meant the pair had to immediately confine themselves to the front room, as the rest of the property dropped by three inches and has no heating.

But 27 months later, they are still waiting for vital repairs to be made - and have even moved a bed into the room.

The couple's insurers have apologised for the delays, while Southern Water says it continues to investigate the "complex matter".

Mr Stapleton, 74, told KentOnline the ordeal started when they returned from a trip to the garden centre at about lunchtime on Sunday, December 27, 2020, and noticed cracks on the outside of their house.

The grandparents-of-four went inside and noticed the plaster on a windowsill had "cracked and started to deteriorate".

"We started to realise something was seriously wrong," said Mr Stapleton.

"It was terrible - a real mess."

The couple went to their neighbours' bungalow, where "lots of damage" had been caused.

They then noticed the pavement had started to drop outside their home - and Southern Water arrived on the scene at about 2pm.

Mrs Stapleton, 70, said: "We went out the following morning and the pavement had gone and you could see the water rushing out."

The couple say the water was not turned off until 4pm the next day, and believe the delays caused serious damage to the property's foundations.

They had to relocate to the front room due to the subsidence caused to the rest of the house.

Mrs Stapleton said: "Straight away we were in the living room, but the furniture was still in the bedrooms.

"We didn’t have a bed, so we were sleeping on the sofa for a while."

Mr Stapleton added: "It’s like being on a ship.

"We thought this side of the house was quite stable compared to the other so we felt fairly safe here, but we could hear creaks and noises at night and it was worrying."

He says the bedrooms are too cold to stay in.

"They have taken the radiators off the wall so it's only five degrees in there," he said.

The couple were advised to move out initially. However, they did not feel comfortable leaving the home unoccupied, and could not book a hotel room due to Covid restrictions.

The retirees say their difficult situation is making it harder to see their family.

Mrs Stapleton said: "We can't have anyone round here when it's like this.

"You can't do anything in the space."

The ordeal has taken a hefty emotional toll on the couple. They have been married for more than 50 years - but living out of one room has pushed them to their limits.

"I’ve had to move out because I can’t do it any more," said Mrs Stapleton, a former manager at Barclays.

She tried sleeping on an air mattress in the bedroom, but could no longer cope with the cold, and is now temporarily moving out of the home to her brother's place in Spain.

"I can't stay - I’ve had enough," she said.

"It takes its toll in the end."

Mr Stapleton added: "It’s just worn her away."

Mrs Stapleton says she has complained to their insurers Royal and Sun Alliance six times about the lengthy time they have been without a whole home.

The work was contracted out to Crawford and Co, and an initial timeframe shows they expected it to be completed by August 2021.

Last October, the bungalow was finally underpinned and some internal walls were repaired. However, no further work has been completed.

The floor and windows are still tilted, and there is no heating in the bedrooms.

Royal and Sun Alliance says one of the reasons for the delays is that builders came across what they thought was a bomb during the work.

A Southern Water spokesman said: "We are aware of an issue relating to a reported water pipe leak on December 27, 2020, and we have received insurance claims in relation to this.

"This complex matter has been reported to our Public Liability Insurers who are currently investigating.

"The presence of a sinkhole in the vicinity of the area in question is being taken into consideration during these investigations."

A Royal Sun Alliance spokesman said: "We're very sorry for the delays Mr and Mrs Stapleton have experienced with their claim.

"This was a complex case due to the significant scale of damage and subsidence affecting the property, which takes time to repair, and delays were caused by a property boundary issue and the discovery of a potential Second World War bomb while work was being carried out.

"However, we have now underpinned the property and work to repair the damaged floor is due to begin in April.

"We are reviewing Mr and Mrs Stapleton’s complaint and will be offering further compensation for the delays they’ve experienced, and our previous offer of alternative accommodation remains available."