MY heart goes out to Ms Bellchambers (Letters, October 31). I empathise with her completely, having been in exactly the same situation and still, four years on, being in more or less the same position now, living in privately rented accommodation, my four

MY heart goes out to Ms Bellchambers (Letters, October 31). I empathise with her completely, having been in exactly the same situation and still, four years on, being in more or less the same position now, living in privately rented accommodation, my fourth house in the same number of years.

Our only contrast is that I refuse to ask the council for any assistance with benefits, having been wrongly suspected in the past of a ridiculous unsubstantiated, fraudulent claim. I cannot bring myself to ask them for help to find us accommodation, as I have found from previous experience that there simply is no hope.

No hope for people like us born in this country, who have worked all their lives, never expected hand-outs, never committed a crime but who have been unfortunate enough to have been victims of circumstance, which has left us in a virtual no-man's land.

Like Ms Bellchambers, I put the welfare of my son above everything else. I, too, refused to sink to rock-bottom and put us through the misery of temporary accommodation in order to obtain a home somewhere in the county, probably far away from his school and our family and friends.

I have accepted that we have to sacrifice such luxuries as clothing, days out, presents and holidays in order to keep this roof over our heads for an indeterminate length of time. If I am failing to provide my son with all he deserves materially, I am determined to keep him in a stable environment at his wonderful school and close to his friends.

I can even accept that housing priority is given to young mums, drug addicts and alcoholics in preference to my family. I have grown up with that realisation through years of successive governments.

What tears me apart and angers me beyond belief is what I believe was left unsaid in that letter, which is the unacceptable influx of migrants into the country and especially, it would appear, in the Cambridgeshire area. These people have arrived here with very little, they are willing to be put into hostels and bed-and-breakfast, and they are willing to accept a home anywhere.

I grew up in North London with people of all ethnic backgrounds and have never harboured hostile feelings to any race or creed.

Do not preach to me about the economic benefit of migrants to this country. I know all the arguments. Yes, they may make a contribution to the economy, but at the same time they know the UK is a soft touch. Why else would they choose to move here?

My partner and I are both employed but are at the age where a mortgage is out of our reach. We are currently paying in excess of £600 per month for our semi-detached house. (I can't call it home either). We pay full Income Tax and full Council Tax, all of which will continually increase in order to support the council's funding of non-UK nationals.

I wish I could offer Ms Bellchambers some hope, but have a feeling that for decent, law-abiding citizens of this country things will never change. Keep on putting your children first. It's the only rewarding experience you are likely to get.

JANICE BIRD, Belle Isle Crescent, Brampton