INVERCLYDE'S MSP has vowed to fight for a Greenock woman waiting for a heart transplant who has been caught up in a council tax trap.

Stuart McMillan says he will take Emma Carney's case to the Scottish Government after the Tele reported on her plight.

The 37-year-old, who is suffering from major heart failure and was left fighting for her life last year, has found herself at odds with Inverclyde Council through no fault of her own.

She was all set to move to a new house with her fiance Stephen McCauley last year, when the country went into complete lockdown and moves were banned.

The couple were forced to stay in the old property for another three months.

They were stunned when the local authority demanded council tax for both properties, because the system doesn't make any allowance for Covid-19 restrictions.

MSP Mr McMillan, who was alerted by the Tele, said: "This has clearly been a challenging time for Ms Carney and her partner.

"They have been placed in a situation outwith their control.

“I want to thank Ms Carney for raising this issue and I can raise this directly with the Scottish Government.”

Emma, who was forced to stop working because of her condition and recently had to to go hospital after suffering from kidney failure, moved from a rented flat in Mount Pleasant Street to Fife Road in Larkfield and the council tax dispute has caused her no end of distress on top of her health problems.

As the wrangle continued she was left in tears when council tax officials made moves to arrest her postman fiance Stephen's wages.

When contacted Inverclyde Council said their hands were tied because legislation was not changed to allow for Covid-19 restrictions.

Emma said: "I appreciate my MSP taking this to Holyrood.

"I don't believe it is just myself and Stephen in this position, there must be others.

"Hopefully this can highlight a need for a change in council tax due to Covid-19."