A YOUNG mum from Somerford has criticised British Gas after she and her four children were left in the dark for two days.

Brenda Pidgley, 29 from Everest Road, said she tried to top up her electricity using her key on Sunday morning when she realised they were running low but it would not work.

After phoning eight different numbers to contact her electricity supplier British Gas, she says she was told to phone back in office hours as no one could help her.

Brenda said: "We had no lighting whatsoever and all of our food in the fridge and freezer has had to be thrown out because there isn't anywhere to keep it.

"When I finally got in touch with British Gas on Monday, they sent me to New Milton to get a new key, which also didn't work.

"They didn't seem to care that I had four small children, one of whom has hearing problems, and that having no lights at night was a bit of a problem."

Brenda added: "I don't have my own transport and in between doing three school runs a day, it was very stressful traipsing back and forth to New Milton, not to mention expensive.

A British Gas spokesman said: "We apologise to Ms Pidgely for the inconvenience caused. We have explained how the emergency Sunday service works. The customer's supply has now been restored, a fully functional meter key delivered and the cost for this new key reimbursed."