RESIDENTS say they have been left in the cold by building giant Barratt.

People living in six properties in Notre Dame Gardens, off Whalley Old Road, Blackburn, claim they have been shivering for six weeks.

During a routine maintenance check, a fault was found in the gas fires of a number of properties and they were declared unsafe.

The rented homes built by Barratt are owned by the Collingwood Housing Association. It says the responsibility is with the builders. Arthritis sufferer Patricia Moran, 51, said she had been forced to keep warm by living in her bedroom.

"When it was switched off I'd just come out of hospital and had my leg in plaster," she said. "I was on the point of moving out but it was too much trouble."

Tina Walsh, a young mum with two children, said she was disgusted that nothing had been done about the problem.

"They have given us a fan heater but this place has open stairs and you can't keep it warm," she said.

Mike Scarisbrick, regional manager of the Collingwood Housing Association, said: "We are pressing Barratt's and understand they are starting work on one of the properties this weekend. We would have liked them to respond sooner."

He added that the Association had given the residents £20 each to cover the extra cost of the electric heaters.

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