AN INVESTIGATION is under way after a couple were hospitalised with carbon monoxide poisoning days after a new boiler was fitted in their council house.

The Health and Safety Executive is investigating after Kerry Higgins, 57, and his 39-year-old wife Lynne, developed headaches, tiredness and breathlessness hours after a new boiler was fitted in their Blaina home on March 2.

Their symptoms worsened, and when they realised they had spent £15 on gas in two days, compared to their normal £2, they called British Gas then went to hospital on March 7.

Staff at Abergavenny's Nevill Hall Hospital diagnosed carbon monoxide poisoning, confirmed by a blood test.

Mr Higgins had the higher level of the killer gas in his blood - at 4.4 per cent.

The couple were attached to drips, given oxygen to breathe and kept in hospital for two nights.

"I looked at the kids when we got home and realised just how much worse it could have been," said Mrs Higgins.

The couple's three children and six-month-old grandaughter did not show any symptoms of illness.

The source of the carbon monoxide has not yet been found, but they fear it was connected to their new boiler, fitted at their home in East Pentwyn by independent contractors working for Blaenau Gwent council.

Their lawyer advised them to have an independent engineer check the boiler and he did not find a fault.

"We are using the boiler but now we have got an alarm to detect any carbon monoxide," said Mr Higgins.

"We didn't want a new system anyway, the old one had lasted for 20 years but a part needed replacing. They said it wasn't environmentally friendly and ripped it out."

A council spokesman said: "We are obviously concerned for the well-being of the tenants. Further investigations need to be carried out to find out what has happened.

"The Council is in close liaison with the Health & Safety Executive and the independent contractor."