A SOUTHAMPTON couple say they have been left shivering in their council home after housing bosses told them they could not afford to fit radiators.

George Lacey, 61, who has a chronic chest infection, and wife Marion, 43, claim they have been trying for more than a year to get radiators fitted in their home.

The couple, of Cherwell Crescent, Millbrook, have access to an electric storage heater but cannot afford to use it except for a few hours a night.

The rest of the day they are left clutching their winter woollies to try to fend off the cold.

Marion, 43, said: "I'm very worried about George's health. He is recovering from pneumonia and has a chronic chest infection. We are heading towards winter and his condition can only get worse unless we get our heating sorted out.

"I can't work as I need to look after George so we have little money to spend on heating.

"Having the use of radiators would be much more economical and allow us to have heating on for much longer.

"I've been to see our local housing officer and tried to get in touch with senior housing officers at the City Council but they never return my calls.

"Nearly all the other flats in our area have radiators. What about ours?"

Redbridge councillor Paul Russell, who has been supporting the Laceys' radiator plea, said: "I don't know how much it costs to install radiators but it can't cost that much for just one property. George isn't very well and after visiting the Lacey's home myself I know how cold it gets."

A Southampton City Council spokesman said: "We will be sending out an engineer to talk to the Laceys about their heating arrangements on Friday.

"Unfortunately, the previous tenants to them left the flat in such a poor state that we were unable to change their heating from electricity to gas before they moved in.

"However, the couple do have electric storage heaters so they are not without heating."