AN Evesham woman who gave up her home to go and care for her dying father is facing a bleak Christmas after being evicted from his flat.

Waitress Veronica Miller continued to live in her father Trevor Harrison's flat in Battleton Road after his death in September.

But on Monday she was told to leave by the Rooftop Housing Group which owns the one-bedroom flat.

Veronica, who has a 19-year-old daughter, Lucy, said: "I just didn't know what we were going to do for Christmas. Poor Lucy has been shunted from pillar to post and it didn't look as if we were going to have a home together."

However, this week she borrowed the money from friends and is preparing to move into a privately-rented flat in the town.

Veronica gave up her own flat in Church Street when her father's illness was diagnosed as terminal cancer in April this year.

"I moved in as his carer because he had no-one else," she said. "My parents were separated and he lived alone.

"When he died, I asked Rooftop if I could stay here, but they said I had no right of succession and should apply for help from Wychavon District Council."

Rooftop spokesman Toby Whiting said: "Unfortunately for Ms Miller she doesn't have an automatic right to stay at the flat.

"Even though she had recently been living there she isn't the tenant of the property. We have therefore written to her, asking her to leave.

"The waiting list for properties is long and we will be working with Wychavon District Council to ensure that the home is offered to someone else as soon as possible."

He added: "This case is very unusual but it highlights the need for all tenants, whether private or social, to understand their rights under their tenancy agreement."

Housing services manager for Wychavon, Elaine Salter, said: "When Ms Miller's father died she did not have succession rights to the tenancy.

"We have a duty to provide advice and assistance to her, which we have done, and have nominated her to a private landlord to be considered for a property, which is due to become available as part of our empty homes programme."