Power failure scuppers Christmas cheer (From This Is Local London)

Power failure scuppers Christmas cheer

3:00pm Thursday 29th December 2005 in

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CHRISTMAS Day was ruined for residents of St Nicholas Court, Aldriche Way, Chingford, who were left stranded when the central power system failed.

Friends and family were unable to visit residents of the upper floors on Christmas afternoon when a power failure cut the lights in the main corridors and stairwells, and the lifts and intercom system stopped working.

Other residents with mobility problems fear they will be trapped in their homes or left out in the cold if the problems continue.

Four relatives could not reach Eileen Boosey, 60, and her family on the ninth floor and were sent home without Christmas dinner.

Her brother's wife has severe arthritis in her knees and her nephew's wife is seven months pregnant. Neither was able to tackle the 18 flights of stairs.

Mrs Boosey said: "It was pitch black all through the stairwell so even if they could have climbed the stairs they would have to do it in the dark. Had I known I would have called before they left home, but as it was they had to turn back without any dinner."

St Nicholas Court residents maintain the power failures are a regular occurence, with services breaking down for several hours at a time, and they continually pay out for repairs and maintenance.

Mrs Boosey claimed: "It is an ongoing nightmare with the council and Ascham Homes. Only when we take the time to check do we realise we have been incorrectly charged and they deduct it, otherwise we just pay for it regardless."

Tenth floor resident Tina Marsden, 35, fears that her disabled son Luke, 14, will be left stranded.

Miss Marsden said: "Luke suffers from cerebral palsy. There is no way that I could carry him up the stairs. We have been worrying for so long but no-one seems to be helping."

Another resident, who did not want to be named, watched his elderly parents go home to Whetstone, North London, as his father has a serious heart condition and was unable to make the climb. A faulty intercom meant the elderly couple faced a long walk to a phonebox to let their son know they had arrived. When they arrived they were unable to climb the stairs.

He said: "Helping my dad up the stairs was not even an option, so my parents could not be with their grandchildren on Christmas, which ruined it for us."

Representatives of Ascham Homes and the council were unavailable for comment.