Chris all heated over gas cut-off

Chris Lappin - protest

A FAILSWORTH man who staged a protest after being left without gas for nine days has finally been reconnected.

Chris Lappin of Oldham Road blasted delays in switching on his supply after being left without gas.

Gas work is being carried out along Manchester Road. Mr Lappin insists contractors Balfour Beatty couldn’t visit him when he was at home to reconnect his supply, while the firm says when they tried they were refused access.

Mr Lappin said: “I put up signs in my window out of sheer frustration. I just feel like a little voice against a big company.

“I had no gas for nine days. I received a card through the door on a Thursday and was cut off on the Friday. When I went to see the gang of men working on outside on the road, they said they couldn’t get into my house to carry out some connection job and couldn’t stop their work for one person.

“I explained I work all over the place at different times and have been really busy recently. I’ve been out at work through the day.

“I asked them to send someone in the evenings but I don’t think their bosses like paying overtime.”

A spokesman for Balfour Beatty said: “We attempted to carry out this work to suit Mr Lappin on a number of occasions, both before and after normal working hours, but were repeatedly refused access to the property.”