FRUSTRATED young mother Emma Webb has been without hot water in her Devizes flat for more than two weeks.

Despite frequent calls to her housing association and visits by engineers the problem has not been fixed.

Miss Webb, 26, and her two-year-old son Louis have had to go to Miss Webb's mother's house in Devizes for showers.

The hot water in Miss Webb's flat was switched off on June 5 by a repairman who found a fault in the boiler. As Miss Webb has no immersion heater in her flat, the only way she can get hot water is to boil her kettle.

Miss Webb had to phone Knightstone Housing Association in Chippenham and Sarsen Housing Association, which does maintenance work for Knightstone, several times to chase up what was happening.

To make matters worse, on June 12 an engineer did some work on the boiler which resulted in the heating coming on and dangerously boiling hot water coming from the kitchen tap.

Miss Webb said: "It was a hot day and the heating was on. The radiators were hot and I opened my windows and doors. In the afternoon a man from Sarsen came and switched off the heating and stopped the boiling hot water from the tap. If it wasn't serious it would be funny.

"I have phoned Knightstone and Sarsen several times and I think I have had the entire team of engineers sent out to sort out the problem.

"I have no complaints with the repairmen who have come but with the offices who seem to have given them limited information.

"We have been going over to my mum's house for showers which is okay but during the hot weather once we get in my car to come home again we end up sweaty again.

"It's not acceptable being without hot water for this length of time, especially with a two-year-old child. We should be on the priority list.

"I also can't use my washing machine on the hot wash so our clothes aren't being washed properly."

Sarsen Contracting told the Gazette last week that it had ordered a special part for Miss Webb's boiler and it was due in on June 16. An engineer would then be sent to fit it.

Miss Webb was away from home last Thursday and returned on Monday.

She said she informed Sarsen that she was away and when she phoned them on Monday was told that an engineer would fit the part on Tuesday morning. This did not happen and Miss Webb contacted Sarsen again on Tuesday afternoon to be told that they would try and send an engineer to her home yesterday.

Miss Webb said: "I cannot believe that this has dragged on. I have stayed in when I have been told that an engineer is coming out to my home.

"I can't stay in all the time. I was told on Monday this week that it would be fixed on Tuesday but it was not. Sarsen said they were booked up on Wednesday but they might fit me in."

A spokesman for Knightstone Housing Association said there were two separate faults with Miss Webb's boiler. He said a new part was fitted on June 12 but this triggered a second fault. He said they intended to fit another part yesterday (Wednesday).