A WIDOWER has criticised social services bosses who he says have denied his family a new fire after his wife died.

Easington District Council's social services had agreed to replace the coal fire at Alan Honnor's east Durham home because of his wife's illness.

At 37, Denise Honnor was diagnosed with a rare form of leukaemia, which meant she was unable to use the coal fire. The council said it would provide money for its replacement with a gas-fuelled fire.

But the arrival of the money was delayed, and in the meantime Mrs Honnor died, leaving five children, aged between seven and 15.

When Mr Honnor, 39, of Foster Avenue, Murton, told social services he still needed the money, as he was unwilling to let the children use the coal fire while he was at work, his application was refused.

He said: "As soon as Denise was dead, they chucked out our appeal and no longer wanted to know. You have to be severely disabled to be granted the allowance, and we applied for it in June, but the person who was dealing with the case went on holiday, and Denise died before it was resolved."

A spokeswoman for Easington District Council said the grant awarded to Mrs Honnor could not stand, and that it could only work on social services' recommendations.