A DISABLED Sandford couple occupying two ground floor rooms of a three-bedroom council house have accused council chiefs of putting housing policy above their health.

MS sufferer Chris Saunders and his diabetic wife Vanessa, from Tyneham Close, Sandford, have been refused a transfer to a bungalow because they could claim their right to buy and thus further diminish the authority's housing stock.

Chris, 54, said: "I'm really, really sorry for all those people with families living in B&Bs when we live in this big family house and we can't use it."

He also said: "The council will not let us have a bungalow because they are frightened we will buy it."

In a letter seen by the Echo, Purbeck District Council states: "It is acknowledged that under-occupation of family housing is a major problem in the district, but the protection of the stock overrides even this consideration."

Mr Saunders said: "They are not worried about my health or my wife's health or the people in B&Bs.

"All they are worried about is their precious housing stock.

"This house is huge - the pressure and stress of the situation is making my wife's illness worse."

Housing services manager for Purbeck district council Robin James told the Echo: "We work closely with any of our tenants who are disabled - we are trying everything we can to resolve their problem within our policies.

"The council policy is not to allocate a bungalow to someone who has right to buy. We reserve bungalows for elderly people who do not have right to buy.

"We already have plenty of demand for those bungalows from elderly people.

"We have overwhelming demand for every sort of housing - we are trying to find a solution that meets our policy."

He also said: "In this case we are looking at several other ways of rehousing the family including contacting a housing association to try and buy a property suitable for them."

He pointed out that council policy is regularly reviewed by a council tenants panel review.