A PENSIONER was left freezing after his gas supply to his home was cut off for an entire week.

Bob Wortley-Millek, of Forest Approach, Woodford Green, was left without central heating and a working cooker after gas was cut off during works by maintenance firm Cadent.

Mr Wortley-Millek’s supply was shut off on Friday, October 27 and only returned at 2.30pm on Friday, November 3.

On October 25, Cadent, working on behalf of National Grid’s national transmission system, left a card with a phone number to call to arrange reconnection to a new gas supply pipe, but the number on the card was for Manchester homeowners.

Mr Wortley-Millek felt bosses’ planning was insufficient.

He said: “Someone hasn’t done enough planning. The information provided to the engineers wasn’t helpful. They knew where to dig a hole in the road and that’s it. It was all guesswork.

“I’m annoyed at the bosses who haven’t planned properly. No one foresaw the difficulties.”

The pensioner says his electricity bill has rocketed and has no idea when potholes in front of his house will be filled in.

Mr Wortley-Millek was so cold that on one evening he went to the pub to get warm.

He said: “I was severely limited in what I could do when the gas was off- the hallway and other rooms were damn cold. On a couple of days last week it was colder in the house than outside.”

A spokesman for Cadent said: “We are currently carrying out essential gas mains replacement work to replace ageing gas mains in Forest Approach, Woodford Green.

“These should last for many decades and will help ensure local residents keep on enjoying safe and reliable gas supplies for cooking and heating for many years.

“When carrying out work to properties we usually turn the gas off in the mornings to allow us to work safely on the pipes.

“Once the new mains have been laid and connected to the service pipes that feed people's homes, we have a team of fitters who go into all the properties, reconnect the supply and test the gas appliances.”