'My dad gave us £45,000'

When Jo Reid and Joseph Spinks fell in love with a pretty cottage in Hersham, Surrey, they had a common problem.

It was a bargain at £210,000 but they still couldn't afford it even with a generous mortgage.

"Luckily my father kindly offered to invest some money in our house," said Ms Reid, 24, who's in PR.

In fact, Ms Reid's father gave them £45,000, which he himself had to borrow.

But they still can't move in as it needs modernising.

"The latest blow has been the interest rate rises and my dad has also been hit - and he was only trying to help."