FOR single-parent Mohammed Kahn, life is not easy looking after two disabled children.

Raffat and Imran both suffer from severe muscle disabilities leaving them wheelchair-bound and unable to carry out everyday tasks like eating dinner and getting ready for bed.

But life is getting better for the Swindon father as he prepares to move into one of Swindon Council's new state-of-the-art homes.

As the first four council homes built for 11 years were unveiled in Alanbrooke Crescent yesterday, Mr Kahn looked on proudly as he showed visitors around his new house.

Equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, including pulleys and hoists, to allow his disabled children to move from room-to-room, the house is designed to meet his needs.

Larger bathrooms, wider doors and lower switches are among the facilities included to make life easier for disabled residents.

The pioneering council project, costing £220,000, will act as an example to housing developers.

Over the past 11 years the council has operated a policy of developing affordable homes in partnership with housing associations.

Mr Kahn said his new home, which he plans to move into later this month, would change the lives of his children Raffat, 26, and Imran, 28.

"I look after them all the time and carry out all the tasks for them.

"Everything in this house is specially designed with a lift from the downstairs to the bedrooms.

"I am very, very pleased and our lives will be changed. I want to move in as soon as I can.

"I like to stay in my home and look after my children. This will make everything easier."

Resident Angela McCrea, 31, has already moved into her house with her three children and 70-year-old mother.

She said: "We like the spacious surroundings. It has a downstairs shower, which is good for my mum, as she can't get up the stairs very well."

The layout of the homes includes 900mm door widths, space for the installation of hoists, flexibility to allow the removal of walls and downstairs bathrooms.

The houses were unveiled by Swindon's Mayor, David Cox, who was joined by housing association representatives yesterday.

Mike Ash, housing officer at Swindon Council, said: "We want to make sure that the standards are kept high and facilities kept up to date.

"This is a pioneering project."