A PENSIONER claims he has been left in the dark by Blackburn with Darwen Council after workmen flooded the flat upstairs, leaving him without light for a week.

Harold Riding, 77, has contacted the authority regularly to complain about repairs at his flat in Spring Bank Terrace, Blackburn and to apply for compensation for the damage to his carpets.

He said the trouble started when a noisy neighbour moved out of the flat above after more than two years.

Mr Riding said: "I had complained regularly about his behaviour and nothing was done then.

"He flooded my flat three times in two years and then as soon as he goes the council come in and do exactly the same.

"They've left me with no light for a week, I'm totally in the dark. I rang them to complain and they did offer to move me but to a house on a near-derelict street where there are cages on the windows.

"I don't want to go there - I've lived here for more than 10 years."

A spokesman for Blackburn with Darwen Council said the flooding occurred while workmen were getting the flat ready for re-letting.

"The waste trap had been removed from the bath and couldn't be seen because of the bath panel and we think the outgoing tenant may have done it deliberately to cause a problem."

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