A FAMILY have set up home in second-hand caravan after the rent on their home nearly doubled, forcing them to move out.

Lauren Collier and James Winterbottom, from Leigh, Greater Manchester moved into the mobile home with their two kids when the cost of living crisis overwhelmed them.

The young couple knew they could not afford the rent on their two-bed terraced house when it almost doubled from £368 per month to £700.

They had spent seven years in the home, but costs started to go up after it was bought by a private rental company last year as inflation began to spiral.

The rent rise was enough to break the bank even before rising prices in the shops and the energy bill crisis began to bite.

Lauren, 26, told Manchester Evening News: "We got in touch straight away saying there was no possible way we could afford it and got a response asking if we were looking to vacate the property."

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The pair decided to take the plunge and spent £3,500 on their caravan.

When it was ready they moved in with kids Lily, eight, and James, four.

Living in the van saves them money of gas, electricity, rent and council tax.

The only added cost is the daily rate for a campsite, which ranges from £6 to £25.

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Lauren home-schools the children and the family move around following James' work as a ceiling fixer.

She said: "We are saving around £200 a week.

"It has been scary, but at the moment it is peaceful and calm."

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Despite the struggles of living on the move, she insisted that they have no regrets and that it was a good choice for the family to move.

She concluded: "I don’t think we’ll ever look back."

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