Snookered

Jul 6 2008 Additional Reporting By Jane Barrie

But I Clear The Table To Rescue World Champ John's 94-Year-Old Grandad After He Is Flooded Out

SPRIGHTLY 94-year-old John Higgins is rightly proud of his snooker world champion grandson of the same name.

But the pensioner ended up snookered himself when foul play by Scottish Gas contractors flooded his house.

And after spending two months trying to sort out the problem, he turned to yours truly to step in and officiate - and I was right on cue to take the firm on.

Widower John, a former steel worker, qualified for free central heating and insulation under the Government's scheme which is managed by the energy giant.

He had new heating installed in March but unknown to John a workman damaged an electrical cable in his loft.

Two weeks later he got the fright of his life when the house was flooded after the broken cable blew and burst a water pipe in the loft, leaving him ankle deep in water.

Devastated John turned to his son Louis, 61, and daughter-in-law Kathleen for help but they got nowhere fast.

John, of Wishaw, Lanarkshire, said: "The carpets are ruined, there's fungus growing on the walls and the smell of damp is horrible.

"I am proud of my home but I can't go on like this. Please help."

The problems started in April two weeks after Scottish Gas installed the new heating. Kathleen, 61, said: "John was pleased with it. Everything seemed fine."

But the family had no idea a timebomb was waiting to go off.

A second contractor had been in the house laying insulation and after he left John heard an almighty bang and water started to pour from the loft.

Kathleen said: "He phoned in a panic. As we live nearby, my husband ran up but could not turn the water off.

"It was cascading from the roof into the living room, hall and kitchen. It was a disaster."

A plumber finally stopped the flow after 20 minutes but by that point the house was sodden.

Supply teacher Kathleen said: "The place was ankle deep in water and everything was ruined.

John was really upset." They contacted Scottish Gas and a firm was despatched to dry out the place.

Kathleen said: "The carpets were cleaned and dried and they brought in dehumidifiers to deal with the damp."

But John's problems were far from over. Kathleen added: "The kitchen flooring is ruined and there is black fungus growing from some of the walls throughout the house. There is still a horrible smell of damp. We still don't know the real extent of the damage. There is a possibility of structural damage."

She added: "John is very independent and doesn't want to leave his home but we are worried about his health."

"I've lost count of the calls we've made to Scottish Gas trying to find out what is happening.

"They did eventually send out a manager but 10 days later nothing has been resolved. It's a disgrace."

I got on to Scottish Gas who apologised to Mr Higgins for the damage to his property.

They said: "A third-party loss adjuster has visited the property. Once we have the report we'll work with Mr Higgins to come up with a mutually agreeable solution to his claim."

Meanwhile, John faces more major disruption as Scottish Gas send workmen back out to fix the rest of the damage.

The free central heating scheme is a great idea but old folk deserve better than this, even if their grandson is a world champ.