NINE into one won't go at a former Padiham council house, says tenant Lorraine Barnes.

Mother-of-seven Mrs Barnes says that with the kids and husband George, there simply isn't room to move in her three-bedroom house in Warwick Drive.

She says she has had to put up beds and bunks in most rooms, including the dining room.

And although her husband is away at the moment, she and the kids -- aged 15 years to six months -- still haven't the space to lead a comfortable life.

She appealed to Burnley council for a larger house, but to no avail.

And she is continuing her plea to new landlord, Burnley and Padiham Housing, suggesting that she could take over the house next door, a gable end property which has been empty for some time. She said: "Things are terrible at the moment -- we don't have room for anything."

Local councillor Granville Lord is taking up her case and council environmental health officers have drawn up a schedule of improvements needed at Mrs Barnes' property.

Said Coun Lord: "Mrs Barnes wants to stay in the area and the neighbours want her to stay. But there is no way she should remain in such overcrowded conditions."

Spokesman for Burnley and Padiham Housing Alan Tyrrell said Mrs Barnes moved into the property in December 1998 on a temporary tenancy because she was homeless.

Her choice of alternative estates did not include areas where four-bedroom homes were readily available.

He added, however, that the company was prepared to consider combining Mrs Barnes' home and the vacant next door house into one property, although it would not be an easy task and would be quite expensive to achieve. Many factors had to be taken into account before a final decision was made, he said.

Picture: With bunks for some of her seven children, the dining room at Lorraine Barnes' home is more like a bedroom