FLOODLIGHTS shining all night have left a pensioner at the end of her tether.

Barbara Pettit, of Chedworth Drive, Warndon, Worcester, said the four double-headed floodlights that surround an all-weather pitch at Warndon Youth Centre were left on for three days from Friday evening.

The 75-year-old, who has lived at the back of the youth centre for 30 years, said: "It happened five times in October where they left the lights on overnight, but they would turn them off the next morning. It's been constantly left on all night before but it's never been left on this long."

The floodlights were finally turned off when staff arrived on Monday morning.

"I think this is a bit too much," she said. "It shines right over the top of the houses and into the streets below. They're very strong. The thing is, there are two very well-lit street lights in Selsely Close, near where I live and all that light is lighting up the whole place."

Miss Pettit was also concerned that the incident started on the end of Switch It Off Week, when people were asked to turn off unneccessary electrical appliances to save energy and cut bills.

She said: "Even the Cathedral managed to switch their lights off."

Cheryl Thrasher, manager of Warndon Youth Centre, said the key holder who lets people in and out to use the centre's facilities should have noticed the lights were on.

She said: "It's cost me a lot of money in electricity."

However, she said the centre is currently experiencing problems with the lights.

"The lights are actually put on a timer every night and they should come on at 5pm and go off at 9.30pm. The timer was put in a couple of weeks ago but it's not been working because of the change of the clocks.

"An electrician should be coming out today sorting it so hopefully it will go off at 9.30pm every night."