IT'S estimated that thousands of people in the North East and North Yorkshire are still without heating and electricity six days after power outages were caused by Storm Arwen.
As high winds of up to 100mph and heavy snow battered the region last weekend, chaos was brought after the region's power network was damaged, pylons were felled and property was damaged – leaving, at its worst point, almost a quarter of a million of people with no supply.
This afternoon, Northern Powergrid said that 9,700 customers remained without power, but they were hoping to make a substantial dent into that figure by the end of the day. So far, the electricity distributor has restored power to 230,300 of the 240,000 homes and businesses impacted by the storm.
Read more: Thousands of vaccines wasted after Storm Arwen destroys supplies
In County Durham, residents across widespread areas of the region are without electricity nearly 140 hours after it first went out.
One resident from Coronation near Bishop Auckland, Brenda Brain, who is in her 70s, has described the “numb” feeling of not having power for six days – which has seen the pensioner forced to “crawl upstairs on all fours” after her stairlift got stuck midway when the power went out.
Despite Mrs Brain and her husband having a coal fire and gas hob to cook food, the impact that Storm Arwen has had on her life remains “overwhelming”.
She said: “We’re luckier than most – we’ve had a few comforts during this time, but it’s terrible that we can’t have our full power.
“Wherever you turn, Northern Powergrid is giving us mixed messages about when the power will come back on. Some have said today, some have said next weekend – I think we just want to know.
“The community spirit shown by neighbours is second to none – I’ve lived here 49 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this – we just want answers.”
One of Brenda’s neighbours, Tracey Metcalfe, hasn’t been as lucky with having some facilities to cook and have heat.
Since last Friday, Mrs Metcalfe has managed to have one hot meal and has called Northern Powergrid over 40 times. So far, she’s had no response.
She said: “I can’t use any of our electric items – we’ve had to keep warm with candles, torches, tealights – anything we can get.
“I feel like I could light a bonfire to keep warm. Northern Powergrid is useless, I’ve called them so many times, and we’ve had so many different messages, we just want clear answers.
“No offers of gas generators or anything has come our way. We’re scared, tired and hungry, and I’m scared that the colder weather has come.”
Across the county in Stanley, a similar story of chaos and power shortages can be seen in the communities.
Jessica May Teasdale, whose home in Stanley, lost power on Friday evening, has described the experience as a “nightmare” and said her region has been “abandoned” by the Government.
Ms Teasdale, an architectural ironmonger, said: “It’s a nightmare. We’re inconsolable and scared - are we going to get even more ill to the point where it’s pneumonia?
“I was in tears this morning, just thinking, ‘is it ever going to end?’ “Our health is deteriorating each day because we’re constantly in the cold.”
In North Yorkshire, the picture of destruction and impacted communities is much the same as in County Durham and patches of the North East.
With 70 mph winds, freezing temperatures and driving snow, communities across North Yorkshire have counted the cost of Storm Arwen with hundreds left without power, hundreds of trees blocking roads, and many unable to travel.
Some rural villages suffered over four days without power, braving freezing conditions. Properties in parts of the Dales at Low Row, Gunnerside, Keld, Hardraw and Hawes were not due to be re-connected until today.
Read more: Storm Arwen: Northern Powergrid map shows when North East homes will get power
Northern Powergrid engineers battled through appalling conditions to repair power lines, many on the tops or remote moors and fells.
Agencies and communities have also pulled together to relieve the harshest problems, with the biggest concern that someone could be missed as communications descended into chaos.
North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum coordinated support working with fire and rescue crews and local councils to identify residents who were vulnerable as a result of the storm, checking on people without heating and light and calling on care homes with heaters and equipment.
Richmondshire councillor Jill McMullan said: "Following the storm we then had to endure a snowstorm which caused extra difficulties and there is concern that some areas are still without power and water supplies.
"Reaching people to identify who is most in need has been difficult as some roads have not been suitable for vehicles. Communities have come together to help each other, but there are concerns some haven't been reached."
Swaledale Fell Rescue team member Emmy Hoyes said they had been involved in many call-outs to rescue stranded drivers and help them get off the fells and to assist the ambulance service reach people who needed medical help.
"It has been difficult, especially when we lost mobile phone cover as the power lines went down affecting the masts.
"The main issue was getting people off the fells in their cars before they got hyperthermia, several people had to be helped when Buttertubs Pass became impassable, and importantly we were assisting ambulance crews.”
In terms of Government intervention – Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng yesterday described the storm as unlike any other and promised to do everything possible to restore power to homes affected before Christmas.
However, this hasn’t gone down well with residents that are still without power.
During a visit to County Durham from Energy Minister Greg Hands yesterday, the MP was confronted by several affected householders over the alleged inactivity of local authorities.
However, Mr Hands defended himself and the government for their response to Storm Arwen, by saying: “We have restored power to 97 per cent of people – we’ve got a lot of engineers, and we hope to reduce it down to a few hundred within the next couple of days.”
The Government has also come under criticism from members of the opposition party.
Jim McMahon MP, Labour’s shadow environment secretary, visited County Durham today to visit the communities impacted the most.
During his visit, Mr McMahon took aim at Boris Johnson and his cabinet by saying: "Thousands have been left without power for days on end, especially in rural and more remote communities, yet they been mostly abandoned by the government.
"Half-hearted reassurance from ministers hundreds of miles away is completely useless when so many people are unable to cook, charge their phones or store vital medicines properly.”
Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
You can also follow our dedicated County Durham Facebook page for all the latest in the area by clicking here.
For all the top news updates from right across the region straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.
Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on newsdesk@nne.co.uk or contact 01325 505054
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel