RESIDENTS have described the chaos left by a power company whose workers ripped through a roof and burst a water main after turning up unannounced.

In two days, UK Power Networks staff knocked down part of a roof, burst a main and left Forge Crescent in Bradwell without power for nearly nine hours.

Having told residents they would begin work to replace old power cables on Tuesday, they turned up unannounced last Thursday.

Sylvia Price, 67, came home from a shopping trip last Thursday to find workmen had knocked a hole through her bungalow roof while installing the cables.

She said: “Four of them came running up to me and one of them said: ‘I’ve had a hiccup’.

“I could see it as soon as I came off the bus and they left all the rubbish behind.

“We had no water between 3pm and 12.40am where they went through a water main and flooded my neighbour’s garden.

“I lost my dad in April and I was going to go up to London to see my mum but I can’t leave it like this.

“I feel like crying all the time.”

Husband Ellis, 63, said: “I have a heart murmur, arthritis and asthma so I am registered disabled.

“They didn’t write to us in advance, it was a real shock. I park my mobility scooter out there and they have dumped all the bricks from our roof next to it.”

Greenfields Housing Association, which owns the property, came out to cover up the hole in their roof within hours.

Until it carries out repairs, Mrs Price must lived with a plastic cover nailed in place as temperatures plummet.

Disabled neighbour Joyce Jenkins, 77, suffers from post-polio syndrome, which means she suffers from muscle weakness and shrinking muscles.

She said: “When they broke the water main my washing machine stopped working because the filter was bunged up with sand and it was all in our clothes.

“My husband, Ken, is 84 and registered blind. We have four carers a day and one of them phoned up to say we couldn’t be left without light when the power goes off and could we have a generator, but they were so rude to her. It’s an accident waiting to happen.

“Other people should be warned about them.”

A spokesman for UK Power Networks said: apologies for the damage.

She said: “We have been carrying out essential work to upgrade services to 23 properties in Forge Crescent, which are owned by Greenfields Community Housing.

“Unfortunately, while this work was being carried out, a water pipe was broken in the grounds of one property and a pole damaged a wall at another property.

“We have apologised to the residents affected and are working closely with Greenfields to ensure repairs are made as soon as possible and the residents affected are provided with all the help they need.”