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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Stephanie Balloo & Tiffany Lo

Mum dying from ovarian cancer is forced to take ice cold showers for 14 months

A terminally ill mum-of-two has been living in her freezing council home for 14 months after her boiler broke down.

Linne Smith, 62, who is battling her third bout of ovarian cancer, has been forced to take cold showers and wrap up in blankets in her home in Birmingham.

She claimed the council had sent a number of engineers out, but the heating still was not fixed.

She told Birmingham Live last week: "I'm terminally ill. The boiler keeps breaking down and according to them, they haven't got a clue how to put it right.

"I've been complaining every day, even my son's been complaining.

"It's been over 14 months now, and it's still the same. They came in, they changed every part going, apart from the one part we needed.

Have you been left in a home from hell? Email webnews@mirror.co.uk

"It kept happening. It wasn't a case of just resetting the button, it was a case of putting the right part in to stop it from keep happening."

Linne has been using a plug-in fire in the lounge, but the bathroom and kitchen remained freezing cold.

"Give me a bit of dignity and heat what could be my final months," she added.

"All I want is a bit of heat before I die, because the fact is I'm waiting to snuff it."

Linne says after Birmingham Live contacted the council, an engineer arrived with the part to fix the boiler that same evening (Dec 7).

The heating and hot water is now working again, but she slammed the council over their "disgusting" treatment over the past year.

She said: "It's brilliant now it's back on.  I just think it's disgusting how I've been treated. I just want somebody to be held accountable for what they have put me through."

Birmingham City Council says it is investigating the underlying issue with the boiler and is in contact with Linne over the issues.

A spokesperson for Birmingham City Council said: “The tenant’s boiler was serviced on 2 December 2019 and she was left with heating and hot water.

"However, our contractor is monitoring the boiler at present and investigating a potential underlying issue with the reset facility.

"We remain in contact with the tenant to ensure she has appropriate heating and hot water."

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