A PENSIONER has hit out at two East Lancashire builders who were fined by magistrates after admitting pushing' him into having £2,000 of work done at his home.

The builders, from Accrington-based Red Rose Roofing, admitted breaking consumer protection laws by failing to give a customer a seven-day cooling-off period and the chance to change his mind.

Vincent O'Rourke, 75, said he felt the builders had "taken advantage of him".

Hyndburn magistrates heard that the row over the work escalated so far that when the occupant of the property refused to pay up, the builders threatened to "dump asbestos on his drive".

Victor Young, 60, of Paradise Street, Accrington, and Frank Mellelieu, 59, of Maudsley Street, Accrington, were fined £450 each by magistrates, including costs.

Trading Standards prosecutor Nicholas McNamara said the builders first called at Mr O'Rourke's house in Queen's Drive, Oswaldtwistle, last August.

Mr O'Rourke asked Mellelieu to paint some lead flashing around his door and clean his chimney. He was told that would cost £43.

But while the quote was being drawn up Mr O'Rourke was told by the builders that asbestos needed to be removed from his garage roof and his walls needed to be treated with a water repellent. These jobs would cost £1,700 and Mr O'Rourke agreed.

Mr McNamara said that the work began immediately, with no cooling off period, and the builders soon found more jobs that needed doing. Roof tiles needed to be replaced and the chimney stack needed rebuilding, they said, which would cost an extra £900.

Mr McNamara said: "Mr O'Rourke told the builders that they must be joking and took exception to the extra charges. He did agree to some extra work which would cost £200."

He said that the relationship with the builders really turned sour when they demanded payment in cash, something Mr O'Rourke did not want to do.

Mr McNamara added: "In the end Mr O'Rourke agreed to pay £1,000 in cash but would not pay the balance. He contacted Trading Standards."

In a statement read out at court Mr O'Rourke said: "I am annoyed that I was bullied into paying in cash and I wish that I had never met these builders."

Graham Parkinson, for both builders, said that Young was new in the business and was not aware that it was a legal requirement to offer a seven-day cooling off period after visiting a property and writing a quote.

He said: "They do not accept that they demanded the money in any menacing way."