BRITISH Gas has apologised after repeatedly wrongly sending a 75- year-old woman demands for payments of thousands of pounds.

Widow Maureen Ballard, who lives in the Brambles sheltered accommodation in Eastern Avenue, Southend, began receiving the demands last December, even though her gas bill is included in the rent she pays to South Essex Homes.

The first was for £1,900 and was followed by one a month.

The latest bill of £2,193 arrived on Mrs Ballard’s doormat on October 7 and warned that she would be charged a £70 late payment fee if she didn’t pay up.

Mrs Ballard said: “I have actually lost count of howmany of these bills I’ve had now. I’ve called them loads of times and they say it’s a mistake and apologise, but still the bills keep coming.

“They have sent me bouquets of flowers twice, but they won’t stop sending the bills. Even though they say it’s meant for someone else, it is still a worry to keep getting these bills.

“I’m at the end of my tether now. I wish they would take me to court, so I could get it sorted out once and for all. I just don’t know how to make them stop.”

Mrs Ballard pays just one energy bill, to Eon, for her electricity.

She said: “I just get a small bill from Eon which I always pay straight away.

“The gas is all tied up with South Essex Homes which runs the boiler for the accommodation.

“The bills are always addressed to me as the ‘landlord occupier’, but I’m clearly not the landlord. South EssexHomes don’t seem to be able to help.

“British Gas told me it was for another house, but I can’t imagine how any ordinary house can run up bills like this. I just want it to stop.”

Leonie Edwards, spokeswoman for British Gas Business, said: “I am very sorry we sent bills in error to Mrs Ballard. We should have realised much sooner that the bills were incorrect and acted quicker to put this right.

“We’ve contacted Mrs Ballard to explain and apologise. Mrs Ballard will not receive any further bills from us.”