ELDERLY residents living in warden-controlled sheltered accommodation were left without hot water for five days and their 'lifeline' alarm for one day after electrical works caused a power surge.

On Friday, Caradon District Council received an out-of-hours call reporting a loss of power to six bungalows at Evendon Court, Torpoint. Contractors went to the homes and confirmed the loss of power, which was reported to Western Power Distribution, which confirmed there was a break in an underground cable.

When the power was restored, a surge in the power blew the circuits on the tenants' boilers, leaving them without hot water.

Residents said that workers from Western Power Distribution also left Evendon Court with electrical cables showing, surrounded only by plastic fencing, which blocked wheelchair access to the bungalows.

The power surge also knocked out the power to certain appliances, as well as the 'lifeline' alarm linking the residents to the warden.

Harry and Stella Stride, who have lived at Evendon Court for three years, said the fault had affected everyone. Mrs Stride, 72, said: 'All the food in both the freezer and the fridge has gone.'

Disgusted

Archie Baker, 90, who lives next door with his wife, has had to throw away a lot of food.

'I'm disgusted about it all. The food in our freezer has had to be chucked away,' he said.

A spokesman for Western Power Distribution said: 'We had an underground cable fault on Friday afternoon and because of the nature of the fault, some of the appliances stopped working.

'However we didn't realise there was a problem with the wheelchair access and our contractors will now deal with the problem.'

Russell Hale, district housing manager, said: 'The situation is regretful and one that is out of the council's control. All tenants were provided with the emergency out-of-hours number so they could contact the support service direct.'

Karen Gillard, Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for South East Cornwall, was notified of the problem and said: 'I am absolutely disgusted. I will be calling back to find out what is not working so that their landlord takes responsibility for people most vulnerable in our community.'

The council received the spare parts on Tuesday and they were fitted this week.