Residents who were told to buy up or get out by their health trust landlord have been saved by a last-minute rescue bid.

Several tenants faced homelessness after eight households in Maltings Lane, Witham, were told they would have to leave by the end of January if they couldn't buy up.

Braintree Council's housing services has now found new properties for all residents who approached it - days away from Monday's deadline. And the offers have been accepted by all but one tenant, who has made other arrangements.

Some residents had difficulty finding new accomodation after their landlord, the New Possibilities NHS Trust, made the shock announcement in October.

Sue Spooner, who lives with partner Terry Beadell and his teenage son Matthew, will be moving to a two-bedroom flat in Hatfield Peverel on Monday. She said: "The offer has come in the nick of time.

"The council has been wonderful and I can't praise it enough. It's been a real weight off our minds.

"We have two dogs, but they will have to go because there will be no garden at our new house. But the offer is better than nothing and it is close to where Terry works in Witham.

"I think everyone who has been made an offer is mighty relieved."

Labour district councillor Richard Tincknell, whose ward includes Maltings Lane, said the council joined forces with a housing association to try to buy the houses under a right to buy scheme.

But attempts to negotiate with landlord NHS New Possibilities proved unsuccessful, he added.

Mr Tincknell said: "I know the new houses might not be ideal for the residents and may not be where they would like, but we have done our best to rehouse people faced with what was a difficult situation even though the trust had acted perfectly legally."

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