An 82-year-old widow told today how she has been without heating since being sent home from hospital ten weeks ago.

Rose Day has been forced to wear a woolly hat and wrap up in blankets at her sheltered housing flat in Basildon because storage radiators keep breaking down.

Rose - struggling to keep warm Picture: TERENCE BUNCH

Mrs Day fell over more than three months ago at her flat in Bartlow Side and when she returned home discovered the heating wasn't working again.

She said: "I even sat here at Christmas with my woolly hat on and blankets around me."

Mrs Day turned down an offer of alternative accommodation and although the council gave her electric heaters, she believes they are too expensive to use.

A Basildon Council spokeswoman said: "We are still trying to fix it. We are doing all we can to make sure the flat is kept warm. We have given the resident free use of electric heaters."

Published Wednesday, January 8, 2003

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