A TERRIFIED 78-year-old woman today spoke of her horror after thugs smashed her window in the middle of the night - and then the council said it couldn't repair the damage for a week.

Winifred Preston, who lives in the Shadsworth area of Blackburn, was left in shock as a roaming band of 30 louts stood outside her window shouting at the occupant of the flat above.

When they got no response one of them put their foot through her window.

Council workers were immediately on hand to board up the window but when she telephoned the housing department at Blackburn with Darwen Council the day after the incident she was horrified to be told it would be seven days before any repair work could be done.

But after the Lancashire Evening Telegraph intervened the council agreed to make an emergency repair to the window.

She said: "I couldn't believe it. I thought they ought to be a bit quicker than a week. I do have a big family but they can't be here all the time. I do get quite frightened, especially at night. "It was not a nice experience at all. The lads outside were making a lot of noise and it was if somebody had the television or the radio on very loud. Then the window went through.

"They were after the person who lives above me but he wasn't in. I was up until 5am talking with neighbours who came around. It was terrifying.

"At first I thought one of them had thrown a brick through the window, but when the police came round they said it looked more like somebody had put their foot through it.

"All of my neighbours are upset about it as well because they had to put up with the noise too."

Gwyneth Sarkar, the Assistant Director of Housing at the council said: "We are treating this as an emergency job and it will be done soon."

Blackburn Police said two men were arrested but nobody was charged.

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