A MOTHER-of-four says her sick three-year-old daughter has been left without any heat since Sunday because they have no gas supply.

And Susan Pickavance, 38, of Warwick Street, Church, Accrington, claims an error by British Gas has left them worried that their gas could run out at any time over the festive period.

She said her youngest daughter Sophie, three, is suffering with a cold but that they are having to rely on an ornamental coal fire to keep them warm.

Mrs Pickavance, who lives with her husband Graham, 29, and children Samantha, 15, Reece, 13 and Sarah, seven, said: "It is ridiculous. My three-year-old daughter is already full of a cold but the only heating we have is a coal fire that is ornamental. We are not supposed to burn anything on that and when it is really windy it is blowing smoke back in.

"Nearly everything is gas including the central heating, cooker and hot water. The only things that are electric are the lights, washing machine and dryer.

"I can't cook anything so we have only been eating cereals. We can't even have a bath."

She said the gas went off on December 19 and that an engineer installed a replacement meter.

He told them to contact British Gas to get a new card to fit the new meter.

Mrs Pickavance phoned British Gas and asked them if it would arrive in time for Christmas.

She said that she was told that if they could not send a card out they would send an engineer round every time the gas supply went. Mrs Pickavance said: "They put £5 in when they put the new meter in but that only lasted two days.

"I rang again on Tuesday and they put some more on which lasted until Thursday.

"We rang British Gas again and they said the card would be here by Friday because they said it was posted first class on Tuesday but it still hasn't arrived.

"When the gas went off on Thursday the engineer said he couldn't put any on because there was a meter fault.

"A man came round on Friday and said there was no fault and put a card in and the gas came on. So we were also without gas from Thursday evening to Friday morning."

She said the gas went off again on Sunday at 10pm. She phoned British Gas on Monday and they told her that they couldn't send anyone out but that they would send the card by courier and it would arrive within 36 hours.

Mrs Pickavance added: "I don't understand why they can't send an engineer out now like they did before.

"The card they sent still hasn't arrived so they should have sent the card by courier in the first place."

A spokesman for British Gas said: "Mrs Pickavance rang to ask for a new card on Tuesday 21 and we posted one out by first class post the same day.

"It is very unfortunate that the card failed to be delivered by Christmas Eve. We did go out to ensure the family had gas for Christmas Day and as soon as they informed us that their gas had run out we arranged a special courier to deliver the card which should have arrived yesterday.

"We are sorry for the inconvenience they have suffered and will not charge them for the gas they have used while waiting for the new card to arrive."

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