'We've been through hell - let us keep family home'

"My family have been through hell - we've hurt, we've cried," said Lucie Lambourne, whose mother Rita was stabbed to death in February in the house where Lucie grew up.

Friends, neighbours and councillors gathered at the house in Bexhill on Tuesday to support the mother-of-three, who is calling on Southern Housing (SH) to let her succeed the tenancy at the property where she lived at times with her children and mother.

"We're just hoping that [SH] will use their empathy and their understanding and their power to say, 'we can help'," Lucie said.

SH said: "While we truly sympathise with her situation, Lucie is not considered to be in housing need and has no legal right to succeed the tenancy."

The housing association spokesperson added in a statement: "We appreciate the emotional significance of a family home following the loss of a loved one.

"However, we continue to be guided by policies that ensure fairness and prioritise those in greatest housing need."

Lucie said she and her family had left her mum's home in East Sussex because it was overcrowded, but the pair had agreed to swap her SH flat with Rita's house in what is known as a mutual exchange.

SH previously said there was nothing on record to suggest Lucie and Rita were considering a swap.

Lucie said she understood SH was faced with a long housing waiting list.

"There's 2,000 people currently on the waiting list for housing, with a property I've already stated I will return back to them," she said.

"That's one more person that can have that property, and we can come home where we belong."

Councillor Christine Bayliss, deputy leader of Rother District Council, said Lucie had moved from her mother's house to the flat just 12 days before Rita died.

"We would argue that these circumstances are absolutely exceptional and therefore [SH] can exercise discretion," she added.

Rother District Council said it was working with Southern Housing to find a suitable resolution.

Neighbour Winifred Warner, who has lived on the road for 51 years, remembers Rita and thinks Lucie should be allowed back to the flat.

"Then she's with her mother anyway, isn't she? I can't see anybody else wanting to live here, not after what's happened," she added.

Donald Excell, 48, denies murdering Rita and is due to stand trial in August.

Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.