Tis the Season

Deborah said both her children have recently been in hospital with a viral infection and one of them is still recovering. Speaking to the ECHO, she said: “I am upset and stressed.

Deborah said she is “so stressed” about the situation and unhappy with the service, she added: “It’s so cold here now, I have had to borrow a heater for the living room just to keep warm and it’s costing loads to keep it warm.

A spokesperson for Utilita said: “We have every sympathy with Ms Walker and the millions of households who are struggling to afford energy during the cold snap we are experiencing. Interest-free financial assistance is available for our customers; however, Ms Walker didn’t request any support on this occasion.

“As a result of what we believe to be a user error, Ms Walker’s gas meter is currently inactive, and we have committed to sending out an engineer to investigate what has caused this soon as possible. The way we prioritise engineer visits is based on risk – as Ms Walker has electricity and is using electric heaters, other customers who do not have heat have been prioritised.

Deborah Walker, from Southport, said her and her children, Cayden four and Dayton one, have been left “freezing” and “wearing coats” inside to keep warm.