AN electrician who saw his nan ripped off when she needed emergency work in her flat is offering a free service for pensioners during lockdown.

Daniel Barnes, owner of Benfleet company Summa Electrical, has been helping people in need of emergency free of charge.

He thinks elderly people have “been through enough” and wanted to donate his time to helping them.

Daniel said: “My nan was housebound and things were going wrong in her flat and no-one was going round there to fix it or they were charging stupid money.

“I went round there and then it opened my eyes to the elderly and vulnerable people who couldn’t go out and couldn’t do nothing.

“So I thought for any emergency problems and issues I would go round and sort them in my own time.

“It’s for emergencies, issues with power, lighting and heating. It’s purely if they’ve got no power, no lights or heating I get them up and running. ”

Echo: Daniel Barnes

Daniel first started offering a free service to the elderly and vulnerable two years ago over Christmas but it didn’t take off as he hoped.

He then started offering the free service again in the first lockdown and by the second lockdown he was “overwhelmed” by the response.

Daniel added: “The elderly people are over the moon. They’re talking to someone for five minutes of their day - giving them a little bit of hope.

“I’ve had a great response from people on my Facebook business page.

“Old people have been put through enough since March and I understand how difficult this past year has been for them.

“Giving up a little of my time to help someone who may have been virtually housebound since last March seems to me to be a very small sacrifice.

“I’m just giving something back to society. I’ve got some skills that people need.”

See www.facebook.com/pg/summaelectrical/posts/