AN OXFORD family granted a last-minute reprieve from eviction at Christmas have been told they may yet be forced out.

Elaine Parrott and her two daughters have been warned they face court action to remove them from Dairy Lodge, in Headington Hill Park.

Her husband, Keith, 47, died of a heart attack last May, having worked for Oxford City Council's parks department for 32 years.

The house they live in was linked to his job.

Mrs Parrott, 45, believed she would be able to stay in the house - but has been told she has to move.

She said: "They say I have got no right to be here, because he is no longer here.

"The rent used to be deducted from Keith's wages, so I initially went to the council to see how I went about paying it - but the invoices still came through in Keith's name, which was pretty heart-breaking."

She was told she would go on the priority list for a council house - but wanted to stay at her home, within walking distance of Cheney School, where daughters Rachel, 17, and Tanya, 14, are pupils.

She said: "They have allowed us to put Keith's ashes in the park by a tree which was planted with money collected by other parks staff. There is also a plaque for him and I can see it from my kitchen window. That's hard, because we're going to have to leave that.

"I'm pleased that we were here for Christmas, but the worry of what's going to happen afterwards still hangs over me."

Her brother-in-law, Royston Neal, said the family was keen to work with the council to find a solution.

Mr Neal added: "Common sense has gone right out of the window. The most sensible approach would be to let the children finish their schooling, which would give Elaine enough time to sort herself out.

"We are sort of resigned to the fact that it is going to happen but we are not going to go down without a fight."

A spokesman for Oxford City Council said: "Mr Parrott was a long-serving and respected employee and his sudden death in May was extremely saddening. Mr Parrott occupied Dairy Lodge as a requirement of his job.

"The council is offering advice, time and financial assistance to his widow to help her move from Dairy Lodge to a new family home.

"In the meantime, the council is obliged to serve a notice to quit on Mrs Parrott to secure Dairy Lodge as a public asset.

"It would be very wrong to allow private sympathy and grief to override our duty to secure the taxpayers' interest in the property."