Blunder leaves family in cold

Horace Hunt lives with his son Philip, 70, his daughter-in-law Margaret, 64, and his wheelchair- bound grandson, Perry, 33, who suffers from spina bifida.

The family, of Freshbrook, have been without gas since their boiler broke on Wednesday, January 12.

Since then they have had just a couple of electric heaters to warm the house and no hot water.

Philip Hunt said: "I don't know what to do, we've got nowhere to turn and British Gas are stalling.

"I have got my family to think about. I don't want compensation, I don't want anything like that, I just want my heating back for the sake of my family.

"It's really cold in the house. British Gas gave us those electric heaters but they don't warm the house up.

Without any hot water they have all had to go without a bath or a shower.

Mr Hunt said: "We've got no hot water. If we want a shave or a wash or anything we have to boil the kettle, which is not that convenient.

"None of us have been able to have a bath or a shower since it went off.

"We're all dying to have a shower, I feel I stink and I'm getting fed up with it. It's unhygienic."

With the situation getting worse the family's friends have offered to help.

"One of our friends in Wootton Bassett has said we can go and have a wash at their house but we shouldn't have to go all that way should we?" said Mr Hunt.

The ordeal has left Mr Hunt disappointed with British Gas.

"They just don't live up to the promises they make on TV," he said.

"I have a family to think of but they can't see that. The system has really let us down."

Sian Callaghan, of British Gas, said the company had intended to fit the new boiler sooner but had made a mistake.

She said: "We would like to apologise to Mr Hunt for the delay. We requested a speedy installation of a new boiler. Unfortunately our planning department did not follow this request.

"We are sorry for the inconvenience this has caused. Mr Hunt's new boiler will now be fitted on January 23."

Gareth Bethell