A MUM and her 14-month-old baby (see picture) were left without heating or a cooker for more than a week after workmen failed to show up to turn the gas on.

Leanne Brown, 19, moved to her new address in Avon Close, Bank Top, Blackburn, but ended up shivering for the first nine days.

British Gas has now promised to send someone round to re-set her meter immediately and said Miss Brown would receive credit of at least £11.

The young mum, who had to wear a fleece jacket and coat for bed and huddled under a duvet on her sofa to keep warm, was more worried about her daughter Reanna than herself. She said the baby had slept by her side under a blanket in her pram wearing her Babygro, coat, gloves and scarf.

Leanne was also unable to warm her baby's bottle or prepare healthy food for her.

She said: "I rang all the gas suppliers to ask about the gas before I moved in and they told me to ring back once I had moved in on the Monday.

"When I rang on Monday I was told that I wasn't supplied by Transco, Northern Energy or British Gas but I finally found out it was British Gas last Thursday. They said they couldn't send anyone round until Saturday but then they never turned up.

"So I rang them this Monday and they apologised and said someone would be round that afternoon but still no one came. I had to ring them all the time on my friend's phone because I haven't got one and I was stuck in all day on the days they were supposed to be calling."

Leanne, who rents the house from Northern Counties Housing Association, said "I have got a gas cooker so I couldn't give Reanna her food or a balanced diet and had to go to the chippy, or give her Pot Noodles and toasties. She's been drinking orange juice because she doesn't like cold milk and I couldn't warm her bottle.

"We could sit in the living room and see our own breath it was that cold."

British Gas spokesman Andrew Hanson said: "British Gas is disappointed that Miss Brown is upset over this, particularly considering we were unable to contact her when we unfortunately could not keep the original appointment."

He also said that British Gas was not aware of a second appointment on the Monday but told us: "We promptly actioned the meter re-setting and a new gas card in a matter of minutes of your call and have also offered her credit to the gas account as a gesture of good will.

"British Gas swiftly ensured Miss Brown could have gas for heating and resolved the matter to her satisfaction."