A FAMILY has called for changes in power regulations after their gas supplier left them without a constant supply of gas for more than a week.

Anthony Hughes said he, his wife Diane, and children Michael and Hayley have been living off microwave meals after being left without a cooker or any form of heating.

The self-employed plastercaster, from Chestnut Grove, Roddymoor, Crook, has lost three days work because he had to wait in for an emergency gas supply to be turned on and last night he still had not received a quantum card from npower which is needed to operate his new meter.

The meter was fitted last Tuesday after his old one broke and Mr Hughes asked to be made a priority because his wife is ill.

He said: "Npower was supposed to send me a new card last Friday but it never came.

"We were given an emergency supply of gas by Transco but that ran out on Saturday. I was unable to get in touch with npower because their offices are closed on a weekend from 6pm on a Saturday and there is no emergency number."

Mr Hughes said that he had contacted Transco at the weekend but was told engineers could not come out without the permission of npower because he uses a pre-pay metre.

He has since been given another emergency supply of gas which ran out on Wednesday.

He said: "I am absolutely disgusted. The weekend service needs looking at. Anyone else who does not have a meter can call Transco and they will come and fix it but because we have a meter we have to wait.

"We have to pay for our gas in advance and we should get the same service as everyone else. I have contacted Ofgem about this."

A spokesperson for npower said that it had sent two quantum cards to Mr Hughes but one had been sent back undelivered.

She said: "We would like to convey our sincere apologies for the concern and distress caused.

"We are investigating why Mr Hughes has not received the quantum cards that have been sent.

"In the meantime, a card has been sent special delivery and he should get that today and as a gesture of good will we are sending a cheque for £100 for the inconvenience caused."