A family of foster carers are facing bankruptcy and homelessness after they signed up to a Government scheme to renovate their house to be used for disabled children's short breaks. Two years ago the Waite family received a grant from Leicestershire County Council to transform their home into a respite centre for severely disabled foster children. But after a dispute arose with the builder over the £75,000 extension to their three bedroom house in Leicestershire, Mark Waite, 44, and his wife Clair, 39, now face losing everything they have worked for. The couple, who represent the third generation in a 100-year family tradition of fostering disabled children, have had to sell all their furniture and clothes on ebay to pay solicitor's fees and say they now face total ruin. They say the council has "left them out in the cold" over the legal wrangle, leaving them responsible for tens of thousands of pounds of debt which will almost certainly result in them ending up on the streets with their two children.
Surveying its surroundings, a tiny harvest mouse climbs the stem of a dandelion .
POWERFUL bolts of lightning illuminate the night sky in an incredible autumn storm over the Sardinian coastline .
A terrified moose, trapped in a frozen lake, bobs her head above the icey water and awaits her rescue .
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GLAMPING is taken to a whole new level in the form of the luxurious Pop-Up Hotel .
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THIS is the EXPLOSIVE moment when a 50 metre high pylon came crashing down to earth in a rural field .
SURROUNDED by divers, a hungry green sea turtle enjoys being the centre of attention .
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SNUGGLING up against their teddy bears, these baby sloths could easily be mistaken for one of the cuddly toys .