LANDLORDS and the council are being urged to "have a heart" by seven mums with small children - two of them babies - who are facing homelessness through no fault of their own.

"We'll be destroyed as families if we get stuck in bed-and-breakfast places," said Nicky Doble, 21, who has a daughter, Megan, two.

"We're not riff-raff or junkies, yet that's how we're treated by private landlords just because we claim social benefits.

"We're all caring parents who love our children and can't bear the thought of being on the streets with them. This is tearing us all to pieces and I beg for landlords and Poole council to have a heart."

The seven families all live in private flats above shops in Rossmore Parade, Poole.

The eviction notices have been served by the new owners, South West Develop-ments, Wimborne, to allow for redevelopment.

"We have no quarrel about that," said Nicky, whose ambition is to become a nurse but has to bring up her toddler alone.

"The council can offer us nothing more than B&B and that would be outside the borough of Poole.

"It's not as if we've done anything wrong. We're decent people, good tenants, who are suddenly becoming the victims of cruel circumstances beyond our control."

Nicole Kershaw, 30, who has a son and a daughter - Niall, 7, and Charlotte, 8 - admitted that she was beginning to "panic".

"We've been doing the rounds of private landlords but because we're on benefits we're treated as scum," she said. "I can't understand why landlords won't accept people on benefits because in many ways we're a much better financial risk than anyone else."

Nicole is a florist by trade but has been unable to work since being left alone to raise her children.

"It's heartbreaking the thought of being shunted into B&B, where you can't go in during the day, whatever the weather. That's no life for little kids.

The owner of the flats, Alan Liddle, said: "They are lovely people. None owes a penny in rent. I'm doing my best to get them rehoused and only wish I owned more properties I could move them into."

In all, seven children under the age of 10 will shortly be homeless.

The evictions will be staggered - the first in June and the last in July.