Neighbours rally to help Brandon pensioner living in unheated home for almost two months

A community is rallying to help a Brandon pensioner who has been living in the cold for seven weeks - after a housing association cut off his heating.

Gordon Green, 73, had his coal fireplace, his only heat source, condemned by property managers Flagship Housing during an inspection in October.

The housing association promised to connect Mr Green’s home, in Bury Road, to the gas supply, however the work is yet to be completed.

Mr Green said: “I’m disgusted with it all. I’ve been in the building trade all my life so I know how this should work. I feel as low was anybody could ever be.”

Flagship has provided Mr Green with temporary radiators, but he said he cannot afford to run them.

He has developed bronchitis, and one neighbour said she was increasingly concerned for his mental health.

She said: “I’ve known him 17 years and never heard him talk like this - the whole community is worried about him.”

She said a group of neighbours has been visiting Mr Green at home to bring him hot meals and flasks of tea.

District councillor for Brandon, Eddie Stewart, said: “One can only imagine the disruption this pensioner has suffered.”

Matthew Thomas, operations director at Flagship, said the association had installed a new boiler but National Grid had been delayed in connecting a mains gas supply.

“We will ensure the customer is compensated for any additional heating charges incurred while we continue to work with National Grid to try to resolve this issue,” he said.