Interest rates: Dying mum's struggle to move closer to son

"Being close to my son is really the only thing on my bucket list, I don't have anything else."

Angela Ramsell, from Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, Powys, has incurable blood cancer and wants to move to Chichester to be near her only child Charlie.

But unless she finds a buyer for her cottage, she could lose out on a new build in the West Sussex city.

The Bank of England has increased the interest rate to 5.25% from 5% to try to bring rising prices under control.

Rising mortgage rates have caused a big slowdown in the housing market in Wales, with latest figures showing the number of house sales falling by a quarter year-on-year.

Angela said she did not have time to wait a few years for the housing market to stabilise, meaning "the time I was hoping to spend with my son will be lost" if she cannot sell and move.

"When I was diagnosed I was told I had five to 10 years. I've made 10 years so I could get 12 or 13," she said.

The 59-year-old has spent the summer visiting Charlie and is hopeful a new buyer for her cottage will emerge before the new build she has put a deposit on is ready in the autumn.

A potential buyer pulling out hours before the deadline to exchange contracts was a "big shock", she said.

"I was hooked up to my infusion at the time so the timing couldn't have been worse, it meant I was back to square one.

"There's nothing wrong with my cottage, the location is fabulous. It's literally that the market is stagnant.

"So my biggest fear is that I won't get a buyer in time for the completion of the property that I want to buy."

It is hoped the treatment Angela is undergoing will give her some time in remission from the blood cancer - time she wants to spend with her son and Chichester is a five-hour drive from Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant.

She said: "Not only is being close to my son paramount to my mental health, but also physically.

"I've been having nightmares. I have insomnia due to the stress and that affects my recovery."

"I am remaining positive," she added, "but the whole housing market is a mess, I feel sorry for young people. At least I have a roof over my head, so I'm very grateful for that."

Anyone struggling to meet mortgage payments are advised to contact their lender as part of the "reach out" campaign by the banking and finance industry - doing so will not affect your credit score.