Tracey Norton with Daniel, 23, for whom she is a full-time carer

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A DISABLED son of a grieving mother has not been able to shower for two months after their home was ripped apart by builders during damp and mould repair works.

Tracey Norton has been pleading with Peabody housing association to sort out her home on the Tachbrook estate in Pimlico.

The kitchen and bathroom had to be completely overhauled due to the works while the family remains living in the home.

Unable to cook since October 4, they have been surviving on takeaways and, with just four weeks to go until December 25, she said she hoped it would be fixed in time for her to make her special Christmas pudding.

Ms Norton said: “My son hasn’t had a shower since the thirtieth of September. I’ve been hand-washing him.

“It’s quite horrific.”

She said the shower was left in an unsafe condition, “hanging off the wall”, while there was no disabled curtain rail, a new fan that didn’t work, and a light fitting that did not switch on.

Ms Norton, who cares full time for her 23-year-old disabled son who uses a wheelchair, said she had been complaining to her landlord Peabody housing association for five years about damp and mould.

Mushrooms were growing out of the walls and after her husband died, in “very bad circumstances” this year, Ms Norton finally managed to get Peabody to send builders to refurbish her adapted bathroom and kitchen.

She hasn’t been able to use her kitchen since October 4 because it was ripped apart to treat the mould and damp.

Mushrooms in Tracey Norton’s Tachbrook estate flat

She has been dependent on takeaways and said she has got to the point where she is not feeding herself because she cannot afford to.

Ms Norton said: “I am beyond distressed that it’s coming up to Christmas, the very first without my husband.

“It’s bad enough that it’s the first Christmas without him, but also the first Christmas that I won’t be able to put up any decorations.

“I haven’t been able to cook my Christmas pudding and cake, with the stupid sweet notes and trinkets I used to put inside, that should be cooked by now. I got to the point now that I’m feeding my son on limited resources. I’m not feeding myself any more.”

She spent her 60th birthday without a party earlier this month, and said: “I couldn’t even have people to come round to keep me company. It’s like living on a building site.”

“What upsets me the most,” Ms Norton said, “Is not once have I faltered on my rent, yet I don’t have any facilities. They should be paying for my food every day. I’ve asked in my emails. I’ve asked for a hotel room so I can take my son across to have a shower and it has fallen on complete deaf ears. How would they like it?”

A spokesperson for Peabody told Extra: “We are really sorry to Tracey and Daniel for not getting the problems in their home sorted sooner.

“We met with Tracey earlier this week and will be making the outstanding repairs as soon as possible.

“Our priority is to fix the bathroom, which we’ve arranged to start next week, and we’re working with Tracey to find suitable temporary accommodation for Daniel. We’ll also be replacing Tracey’s kitchen in the new year and in the meantime ensuring she has all the cooking items she needs for Christmas.”