A MAN says a row with an electricity supplier has left him angry and frustrated.

Bus driver Andrew Pavey, 36, of Foxglove Court, Colburn, has received bills asking for thousands of pounds from npower, despite the fact that for the three years he has lived at the address, he has paid for his electricity using a key metre.

"The first bill I received was for £1,775 in 2002," he said.

"Since then I've received 17 more, all for different amounts.

"I keep ringing them up and telling them I have a key metre. They say they will change their records but I keep getting the bills."

Mr Pavey, who works for Abbott's of Leeming, says he has spent more than eight hours on the phone to the company. The most recent bills he has received warn his supply will be cut off if he does not pay.

He said: "I've tried to change supplier but I can't because we are supposed to owe them money."

A spokesman for npower acknowledged that they did have Mr Pavey recorded as a regular metre customer.

She said "We will be looking into this as a matter of urgency to see what's happened.

"We will be speaking to the customer as soon as possible."