ELDERLY and disabled people are being cut off from the outside world because of building work on a housing estate.

Residents of a sheltered housing complex in Willington said their lives have been disrupted during the regeneration of a nearby former council estate, Dene Estate.

An emergency alarm system, which enables residents to call wardens for help 24-hours-a-day has been out of order while telephone lines have been down because of the work.

On occasions, frail pensioners have had to stay in bed through the day to keep warm while the electricity supply to their homes has been disconnected.

And a daily bus service that takes residents into the centre of Willington or to Bishop Auckland for appointments and groceries has had to be re-routed while roads are laid.

The daughter of an elderly couple who live in the sheltered complex, in Denewood Close, said: "My father is 87, my mother 90 years old and life has been far from comfortable for them at times during this work.

"Basic amenities such as electricity for heating and cooking and a telephone line to keep the emergency alarms going are vital.

"My parents have each other, but many residents are elderly and live alone or have disabilities which make them more vulnerable and these services even more important.

"I would urge the developers to be more considerate and avoid disruption to their lives, particularly with winter around the corner."

A spokesperson for Three Rivers Housing Group, which runs the scheme, said: "Our officers who look after that scheme are aware of several problems faced by tenants recently because of nearby construction work.

"It is an important issue and we are in contact with Persimmon to help resolve any difficulties as quickly as possible."

Richard Tindale, technical director for Persimmon Homes North East, said: "It has been necessary to demolish an existing estate as part of the regeneration in Willington and this does mean some re-routing of essential services.

"While there will be some disruption to services we have tried to keep this to an absolute minimum.

"In addition, residents should have been informed by the utility provider involved regarding the time and length of the break in service."