A YOUNG boy needed hospital treatment after spending the days leading up to Christmas in a house without heating.

The problems first began for seven-year-old Hunter and his mother Lesley Allen when their boiler broke down on December 14.

Ms Allen, a single mum, contacted her landlord Stonewater and informed them of the situation and was initially given a blow heater as temperatures dropped below zero.

But, with no hot water for 10 days, the concerned mum contacted the social housing association again and was given a second blow heater for their Leominster home before being told they would have to wait until January for a new boiler to be fitted.

“I phoned Stonewater every day to say my boy was getting worse with his asthma as the house was so cold,” said Ms Allen.

“I explained that he coughs all night if the room is too cold. They said use the blow heaters we left you. I explained they cost a lot to run and it’s not acceptable for asthma sufferers.”

The mum’s fears were realised a few days before Christmas when Hunter suffered from heart palpitations and shaking legs.

She was advised to take her son to A&E and, after numerous tests, it was found that an overdose on his Ventolin inhaler for asthma had caused the symptoms.

“They only gave us one blow heater to start with for 10 days so we could only heat one room at a time,” she added.

“Christmas Day was freezing as we had gone three weeks with no heating by then. I’ve had a condemned boiler for what is three weeks and a poorly boy who ended up in hospital.”

Since the Hereford Times contacted Stonewater last week, the family has now been given hotel accommodation for two weeks while a new boiler is installed in their home.

"They originally kept fobbing me off and said that they weren't going to do anything until January 3," added Ms Allen.

"I'm a working single parent so it's not ideal and we have been booked in the hotel until January 15, so they are not rushing."

In response, Richard Payze, assistant director at Stonewater said: "We acknowledge replacement of the boiler has taken longer than it should have done and sincerely apologise for this.

"We have already arranged temporary accommodation while the new boiler installation progresses.

"Stonewater has a compensation policy for running costs of temporary heating and, once our resident returns to their home, we will ensure they are compensated for any additional costs incurred."