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By Sky News SkyNews - Friday, May 9 09:52 am

A total of 27,530 mortgage possession orders were made in the first three months of this year, up 17% on the same period a year ago.

The figures, from the Ministry of Justice, are even worse than experts had predicted.

They show many homeowners are struggling to cope with higher mortgage repayments as a result of the credit crunch.

The number of homes repossessed soared by 21% in 2007 to an eight-year high, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders.

It said a total of 27,100 homes were taken back by lenders after their owners fell behind with their mortgage payments.

That ls more than triple the number three years ago.

It fears things will get even worse this year with an estimated 45,000 repossessions.

Worryingly, say experts, this forecast was made before the full impact of the credit crunch became clear.

Problems in the wholesale money markets have forced lenders to increase their mortgage rates, despite cuts in the official cost of borrowing.

It has also made them increasingly risk averse, making it harder for people to get cheaper fixed-term deals.