​THREE residents with disabilities were left freezing during the sub-zero temperatures brought by Storm Arwen at the weekend after their housing provider failed to fix their central heating in time.

Claire Hull, 38, and her two housemates spent the coldest weekend of the year, which saw temperatures drop to as low as -5C and snow fall in Andover, huddled around electrical fan heaters in their property on Rooksbury Road, as they awaited repairs to their central heating.

Claire, who has spastic diplegia on her right-hand side, was removed from the property by her dad, who told The Advertiser “enough is enough” having seen his daughter struggle with “inadequate” heating.

Stephen Hull continued: “What we have is three ladies with limited mobility huddled around half a dozen electrical fan heaters trying to keep warm. They chose the week before the coldest weekend of the year to start that work. Each one of them pays over £2,000 every four weeks. Yet they are willing to walk away from them on a weekend with no heating.”

The property is arranged by the Royal Mencap charity and managed by Golden Lane Housing, and the latter’s director of housing, Rod Dugher, has pledged that the central heating will be fixed as soon as possible.

He said: “We aim to always deliver an excellent repairs service and we are really sorry that the failure of the heating system has caused distress.”

Mr Dugher added that they would “urgently ensure” works are completed.

You can read the full story in this week's edition, out tomorrow. Also in this week's paper:

  • A man from Andover who dumped 10 black bags of household waste including rotting food has been made to pay almost £1,000.
  • An Andover company has recently celebrated the retirement of its longest serving staff member, who had been with the firm for nearly 40 years.
  • As we continue our Andover Appreciation Campaign, we list the top five reasons why we love Andover.
  • Residents in Andover have spoken out in support of new coronavirus measures which have come back into place from Tuesday (November 30).
  • Historic medals have been reunited with their owner after Andover Fire Station put out an appeal.
  • A Syrian refugee living in Andover whose daughter was saved by Hampshire doctors has urged locals to give incoming Afghan families a warm welcome.
  • A man who admitted to operating an illegal meat processing unit at his car was business in Ludgershall has been sent to jail for ten months. 
  • A rural primary school near Andover is at risk of closing as soon as next year as a consultation is launched by the council to help determine its future.
  • PLUS:  Two pages of YOUR letters
  • PICTURES: Charlton resident lights up his house to spread festive cheer
  • Camera club captures fleeting snow day in Andover
  • An eight-page puzzle special
  • Entertainment news
  • Sports news
  • And much, much more
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