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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Gas supply battle as cold bites | Gas supply battle as cold bites |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Engineers are battling to restore gas supplies to about 3,000 properties in the Kelso area. | Engineers are battling to restore gas supplies to about 3,000 properties in the Kelso area. |
| The homes could be without gas supplies for several days. | The homes could be without gas supplies for several days. |
| A gas governor shut down on Monday, cutting supplies to homes to the north of the River Tweed and 70 houses in the village of Ednam. | A gas governor shut down on Monday, cutting supplies to homes to the north of the River Tweed and 70 houses in the village of Ednam. |
| Secondary and primary schools have been closed and temperatures overnight dropped to -2C. A helpline is available on 0845 070 1432. | Secondary and primary schools have been closed and temperatures overnight dropped to -2C. A helpline is available on 0845 070 1432. |
| Scotia Gas Networks have set up a drop-in centre at Kelso High where the heating is fuelled by oil. | Scotia Gas Networks have set up a drop-in centre at Kelso High where the heating is fuelled by oil. |
| Temporary cooking and heating facilities are being made available to those customers who are particularly vulnerable Scotia Gas Networks Kelso five day weather forecast class="" href="/1/hi/scotland/7760166.stm">'Severe' weather warning issued The high school centre, which will open at 0930 GMT on Tuesday, will supply hot food to those affected. | |
| Kelso High School, Broomlands Primary and Edenside Primary will remain closed to pupils on Tuesday. | Kelso High School, Broomlands Primary and Edenside Primary will remain closed to pupils on Tuesday. |
| John Lamont is the MSP for the area. He told BBC Radio Scotland: "The priority is to get the town connected again as fast as possible. | |
| "The snow's here - they need to get these old people connected to gas as soon as possible. And the next two or three days it's not going to improve any." | |
| 'Wrong time' | |
| A spokeswoman from Scotia Gas Networks said the exact cause of the fault was still under investigation, but that the priority was to get the supply connected again. | A spokeswoman from Scotia Gas Networks said the exact cause of the fault was still under investigation, but that the priority was to get the supply connected again. |
| She was unable to say when this would happen but fears have been raised that it could take several days. | She was unable to say when this would happen but fears have been raised that it could take several days. |
| The firm said: "Temporary cooking and heating facilities are being made available to those customers who are particularly vulnerable such as those who are elderly, chronically sick or disabled, have young children or other special needs." | The firm said: "Temporary cooking and heating facilities are being made available to those customers who are particularly vulnerable such as those who are elderly, chronically sick or disabled, have young children or other special needs." |
| Extra engineers have been drafted in to complete the reconnection work. | |
| Kelso resident, Alastair Hutton, the convenor of Borders Council told BBC Scotland: "It's an unexpected blow - this is the wrong time of year for this sort of thing to happen. | |
| "When I spoke to the men yesterday, they were expecting to go around every single house in the area turning the supply off and turning it on again - but we expect to have it done within two or three days." | |