British Gas has been accused of incompetence after leaving a pensioner without gas for more than a month - and continuing to charge her £600 for repairs.

Marie Hinett's problems dated back to May 5 when her gas was turned off after she reported a leak under her floor. She was told by British Gas it should take only a day for repairs to be carried out.

Nearly two weeks later, on May 18, an engineer arrived to re-route her gas supply around the outside of her home, but left without finishing the repairs.

The 89-year-old was told she would have to wait until June 2 for the work to be finished because the engineer was going on holiday.

But on the appointed day no-one arrived at Mrs Hinett's home in Charlbury to carry on with the repairs.

Mrs Hinett, who lives alone, called British Gas several times but said she was "fobbed off" with false promises that someone would call her back.

She said: "They left me with a small electrical heater and two-ring hotplate. The weather's nice now, but last month it was really quite cold and I had no heating. I've also been living on anything I can cook on a ring because my oven is gas-run.

"This isn't so much the problem - it's the way I've been treated to and spoken to by British Gas about this, as if no-one cares at all. I find it shocking."

British Gas initially told the Oxford Mail that records showed Mrs Hinett had not been its customer since 2003.

But, after being informed that all letters regarding the repairs - including a £648.05 quote for the work - were written on British Gas-headed paper, a spokesman was able to confirm the company's British Gas Services was responsible and apologised.

It arranged for an engineer to finish the work at Mrs Hinett's home last Thursday, and offered her a cheque for £50 as a goodwill gesture - which Mrs Hinett has rejected.

Gas consumer body Energywatch dismissed the gesture as "not good enough" and said it would take up Mrs Hinett's case to try to get her a substantial reduction because she had been treated with "such disregard".

Spokesman Georgina Walsh said: "This is an elderly lady who, because of her age, is classified as vulnerable and this is a shocking demonstration of incompetence."

British Gas spokesman Donna Davis said the engineer could not finish the work because he needed extra parts. An engineer was meant to go to Mrs Hinett's house on June 2, but when he arrived to pick up the parts, they had been sent to the wrong depot.

She said: "Nobody called Mrs Hinett to let her know what was going on and I'm sorry she was unable to get any sense out of us.

"The work will now be carried out and I offer sincere apologies."

Mrs Hinett thanked the Oxford Mail for helping resolve the situation and said she would fight to get a reduction to the bill.