Home owners saved from repossession thank Darling

Maggie MacMann and Paul Rice faced losing their home after falling behind on mortgage repayments. They were among the first people in the country to benefit from a Government scheme launched last year to help home owners struggling in the recession.

Mr Rice, 47, was paralysed following an accident which forced him to give up his job as a refuse collector.

His partner Ms MacMann, 42, gave up her job in a supermarket to provide full-time care for him.

Without money coming in the couple soon fell behind with their mortgage repayments and ended up facing the repossession of their home in Plumstead, south east London.

But a local housing association stepped in and took control of the property, renting it back out to the couple, meaning they could remain in their home and not have to uproot their two children.

The move was made possible under the mortgage rescue scheme.

After the Chancellor met the couple yesterday, Mr Rice said: "I thanked him personally, the scheme really works.

"By allowing us to stay in our home the scheme made a difficult situation just that bit easier."

Mr Darling said it was just an example of the thousands of people who had been helped.