A GRANDMOTHER who found herself without heating for almost two weeks has now had her meter fixed.

Thornhill resident Valerie Cox was left without gas on Friday September 16.

Since then, the 86-year-old, who lives on her own in Thornhill, was confined to one room with an electric heater.

READ MORE: Grandma, 86, confined to one room after being left without heating

After the Echo contacted gas supplier SSE, OVO Energy investigated the case.

Yesterday morning, Mrs Cox's gas meter was changed, the company has confirmed.

The old gas meter was closed to a reading taken on September 13, before the supply cut out.

The price of the remaining two weeks will be waived as a goodwill gesture.

Valerie's son, Philip Marshall-Cox, said the old meter has been replaced by an ordinary meter and the company has offered his mother compensation.

The 52-year-old described it as a "wake up call".

"My concern is that there are other people left high and dry. There might be others who do not have sons or daughters to fight for them," he said.

"I did not know SSE had been replaced by OVO."

Philip called an emergency number after discovering that no gas was getting to the smart meter in his mother's home in Shelley Road.

He called and messaged the house's gas provider SSE multiple times without success.

The grandmother-of-four described the situation as cold and lonely.

For two weeks, she stayed mainly in her lounge at the back of the house, keeping herself warm with one electric heater.

An OVO spokesperson said: “We’ve very sorry to Mrs Cox for the experience she’s had and can confirm that her meter has now been changed.

"We’ve offered a goodwill gesture and advised on ways we can support this winter through our Customer Support Package.”

Gas supplier Ovo Energy acquired SSE’s household energy business in the UK in 2020.

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