A New Forest family living in a tumbledown cottage with no electricity or running water has been barred from putting up a new home.

Jimmy Cassell and his sisters Margaret and Hazel have lived in a cramped and rundown building near Hyde Common for more than 50 years.

Earlier this year, they applied to build a new bungalow to improve their living conditions, which the parish council says are among the worst in the area.

However, New Forest district councillors overwhelmingly rejected their plans, saying the site had never been granted permission for a home.

Staff from New Forest voluntary group Community First advised the Cassell family to draw up plans for a replacement house.

Michael Clowes, from the organisation's non-profit home repair service, said: "It became apparent from early on that the work needed went far beyond the kind of service that we could provide. The property is very basic."

New Forest district planners say they only became aware of the dilapidated home when they received the family's application to put up a new bungalow.

Although there is no record of any planning permission for the site, officers cannot take any action about the current building because the Cassells have lived there for more than four years. However, if they want to put up a replacement home, the family has to show there was a house on the land before 1948 when current planning controls were first introduced.

No evidence has yet been produced and district councillors say they must assume the cottage is unauthorised.

Members of the planning committee voted to reject the application as the New Forest local plan forbids the replacement of unauthorised buildings. Local district councillor and vice-chairman of Hyde Parish Council Bill Dow is now trying to find an alternative solution to the family's housing problems.

"It's certainly my dear wish to try to keep them there where they have lived all their lives," he said.

"The district council is now bound to do something to improve the deplorable conditions they are living in with no water or electricity."

He plans to meet planners and housing improvement officers to discuss a solution.