ELDERLY twins were left without heating for three days after their boiler broke down in sub-zero temperatures.

Joan and Sue Rogers, 73, of Lesley Anne Skeet Court, Park South, who both suffer from cerebral palsy, saw their boiler break on Sunday evening.

However despite reporting the breakdown first thing on Monday, the pair did not get their heating repaired until yesterday.

“I was very worried because we have the boiler on constantly and we really do rely on heating,” said Sue.

Southern Housing Group, who monitor and own the property, were contacted on Monday morning and the twins were told an engineer would be there that day.

That evening, they were told new parts were needed, resulting in a further delay until Tuesday.

Joan said: “I felt like crying when I heard that.”

On Tuesday, the twin’s hopes were dashed again when they were presented with two electric heaters by SHG, which they did not use because they were worried about the cost.

And Sue said it was not the first time the boiler had broken down.

“You feel as though you’re being fobbed off – to us it’s more than another job, it is freezing cold,” she said.

“This happens every year and although it is not as bad as one year when we had to wait a whole week for it to be fixed, it is still very hard.

“Every year we are older and less able to cope with the cold.”

Joan, who has osteoporosis and arthritis, said: “Every day we feel the cold more and more. I get up in the middle of the night and my bones are aching all the time.”

The sisters have been confined to the kitchen, unable to walk their dachshunds Pepper and Lexi or go to the supermarket, keeping warm with hats, scarves and gloves.

The pair’s plight came to light after Joan called BBC Radio Wiltshire.

Joan said: “I had had enough at that point, that is why something had to be done.”

Sue said: “Everyone should be a priority, especially in weather like this.

“We were told we were a priority but it seems we were wrong.”

Southern Housing Group maintenance director Kevan Allaway said: “We apologise to Ms Rogers and her sister for the delay in having their heating system repaired, which was due to having to get the right part for their system. However the repair has now been completed.

“After diagnosing the problem with Ms Rogers’ heating, she and her sister were offered fan heaters to use in the interim, but these were declined.

“Unfortunately the contractor did not carry any alternative heaters.

“We tried to deliver oil heaters to Ms Rogers and her sister but they declined these too.

“As with any repair of this nature, we made this a priority and worked with the manufacturer to get the issue resolved as soon as possible.”