A DESPERATE mum is calling for a community’s help as she faces being evicted from her flat just a week before Christmas.

Shannon Taylor, of Colchester Road, Manningtree, lost her job at the Co-op, in Riverside Avenue East, two months ago due to losing her right to work in the UK.

The mum-of-three, who is originally from California, said she lost her right to the spouse visa she was on after her husband walked out on her after Christmas last year.

Mrs Taylor moved to the UK in 2012 and worked at the Co-op for six years.

She recently applied for a family visa, which would allow her to stay and work in the UK, and she is waiting for a decision to be made.

But this could take up to eight weeks.

Mrs Taylor said: “We have been trying to survive on our final pay cheques for the past two months, as we have no resources to public funds.

“Me and my children are being evicted a week before Christmas, on December 17, because my landlord has sold the flat, even though we’ve been living in for the past seven years.

“The new owner has agreed to let us keep the flat from the beginning of January, if we will have our visa sorted.

“I feel awful, terrible and hopeless, because nobody can help us.

“I’ve reached out to Citizens Advice, but they can’t help, and the council can’t help either until the visa is sorted.”

Mrs Taylor lives with her 21-year-old son, Ayrton Vanmeter, who also lost his job at the Co-op, and 15-year-old daughter, Sarah Vanmeter, who attends Manningtree High School.

The 41-year-old said the situation has had a massive negative impact on her children, especially her daughter.

She said: “They are not coping well with the situation.

“We have been to the doctor to get counselling for my daughter.”

Mrs Taylor said her son has also been finding the situation difficult.

“Now that we’ve started packing, it all seems more real, it’s awful,” she added.

“We are trying to see if we can rent a caravan, but I really don’t know.

“I know I’m a loved person in our small Manningtree community, and I know the public would help me if they found out about my terrible situation.”

She said she would appreciate any help and said if somebody has a spare room for up to four weeks, which they could use, it would mean the world to her.

To contact Mrs Taylor, email shannon.taylor@aol.com or to donate to her fundraising page visit bit.ly/2P6trjn.

Nearly £600 has been raised so far.