Margaret Wheatley’s gas meter was stolen

Police are investigating after 86-year-old Margaret Wheatley’s gas meter was stolen from the wall of her home in Coundon, near Bishop Auckland, on Sunday night.

Ms Wheatley, who suffers from angina, began to panic when British Gas failed to reconnect supplies to her home on Monday as the North-East was in the grip of freezing temperatures and blizzards.

She had nothing to combat the cold but blankets and a friend’s electric heater, and went to sleep fearing her heart condition may be triggered.

She said: “It was alright in the living room, but when I went upstairs, it was freezing.

“My angina gets worse when I am too cold. You do not take things like this very well when you are a bit older.

“It is upsetting.”

Mrs Wheatley, who needs a frame to walk, realised something was wrong on Monday morning when she started making breakfast.

She said: “I got up to do my By Rachel Wearmouth rachel.wearmouth@nne.co.uk toast and the heat wouldn’t come on. I had no hot water to get washed. I had to keep boiling the kettle for everything.

“It was awful.”

Friend Kath Morton, 61, is outraged the company failed to respond immediately, and condemned the thieves, who are believed to be using the meter at another property.

She said: “I think British Gas cannot care about the elderly to leave a lady in this health and condition in the cold. It is disgraceful.”

Emma McDonald, from British Gas, said the delay was caused because a worker sent to install a new gas meter on Monday was not authorised to reconnect the supply.

She said: “I am very sorry for the delay reconnecting Mrs Wheatley’s gas supply.

“The meter operator installed a new meter, but could not reconnect the supply at this time under Corgi regulations.

We have contacted Mrs Wheatley to apologise and explain the cause of the delay.”

A British Gas engineer visited Mrs Wheatley to reconnect her gas supply yesterday.

Police are appealing for anyone with information about the theft to call 0345-60-60-365.