The Army today came to the rescue of desperate residents in some of 9,200 homes still without power a week after Storm Arwen.
Families have been left shivering, without light and heat, as forecasters warned of another big freeze and more snow in Scotland.
The area hardest hit by the cut is the North East, where 6,650 homes are blacked out.
More than 100 military personnel were today drafted in to St John’s Chapel, in Weardale, Co Durham.
They came after the Local Resilience Forum declared a major incident, with up to 5,000 properties affected and provider Northern Powergrid unable to confirm when the crisis will end.
Also still affected are more than 2,500 homes in the North West and Scotland.
Jessica Teasdale, 35, of Stanley, Co Durham, told how locals were angry and frustrated. She said: “I saw my elderly neighbour. The poor man looked like he was going to cry. He’s a vulnerable person but no one has checked on him and he lives alone.”
Jessica had her power restored today afternoon but she says others are being given “false hope”.
In Alnwick, Northumberland, Stewart Sexton, 57, has been without heating,
hot water and lighting for over a week.
He said: “No one gives a toss about us.”
But there were signs of hope. Paul Stubbs, 60, of Lanchester, Co Durham, who was featured in the Mirror as he and his wife Elaine slept by a wood-burning stove, spoke of his relief as the power was finally restored.
Regulator Ofgem is now reviewing the response of firms to Arwen and is letting customers claim up to £140 for each day they are without power.
Almost a million households were hit by cuts, with power now restored to 960,000.
A spokesman for Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks said: “We welcome Ofgem’s review and look forward to capturing any lessons learned alongside our own review process.”
