Gas bill for widow who wasn't a customer

Eileen Davidson, 88, a great-grandmother of seven from The Gaer, was also told British Gas would be seeking a warrant unless she handed over £47.

But Mrs Davidson has been with another gas firm for four years and all letters sent to her home were strangely addressed to 'Mr Newport Housing Trust.'

Now the company has apologised after the Argus intervened. Mrs Davidson said: "There are so many old people living alone and without family in the area and God knows what these letters could do to them.

"I thought if they were going to blow the door down, let them do it, as I need a knew door and they would have to pay for it.

"I thought they would realise the mistake and my son Terry has contacted them on at least three occasions.

"Last year they said they would sort it out but then we got a letter again last week."

She said she used Powergen for her gas for the last four years. Mrs Davidson's first threatening letter came in September last year. Another followed in October telling her a warrant from the Justice of the Peace would be obtained to enter her home and disconnect her gas supply if she did not pay the bill immediately.

The letter also warned a police presence could be necessary. Mrs Davidson's son Terry, a 63-year-old retired engineer, said he called British Gas on several occasions last year to alert them to the problem and was told the matter would be resolved. Phil Toms, from the Newport Housing Trust, said the letters were intended for one of the mobile homes his company had at the end of Mrs Davidson's street.

He said: "It's a comedy of errors as the address has been erroneously recorded by British Gas and we've had no one living in the mobile homes for nine months."

A British Gas spokeswoman said: "We apologise to this lady and we are aware of the problem.

"It's distressing that the letters stopped and then started again and we will look to get this resolved as quickly as possible."