A PENSIONER wants compensation from Severn Trent Water, claiming a catalogue of errors has caused him to fear for his safety.

Ron Apps endured a "torrent" of water gushing from his driveway for almost five weeks before it was eventually fixed by the water company.

Four weeks later, Mr Apps, aged 93, is still waiting for his drive-way gate to be mended after the work caused the gate post to sink and made it impossible to close the gate.

"My father continues to worry about the security of his property every day and night," said Mr Apps' son, Chris.

Mr Apps said he was "disappointed and angry" at the treatment his father had received and accused the company of riding "roughshod" over him.

"Having been brought up in a different culture, where service to the customer was everything, my father does not understand the distinct lack of care and consideration that Severn Trent has levied on him," he said.

The problem started on April 10, when Mr Apps phoned Severn Trent Water because a burst pipe was causing water to "gush" from his garden on to the pavement.

Severn Trent went to his home in Beauchamp Road, Malvern, the next day, but engineers wrongly diagnosed the fault as being on the private supply pipe, which would have meant it was the owner's responsibility.

It took 11 days for the error to be corrected and a further 18 days before the engineers finally arrived to carry out the work, on Friday, May 11.

The workmen returned within the week to tarmac over the hole that had been left in the driveway, but the gate post sunk in the process and the gate will now not close.

Severn Trent spokeswoman, Kate Cox, said the company was sorry for any anxiety caused and would rectify the situation as soon as possible.

"We are sorry that it has taken a while to get to this point," said Mrs Cox.

"If Mr Apps wasn't happy with it, it should have been rectified sooner. We're sorry for the inconvenience and any anxiety caused to Mr Apps and, rest assured, we will be going out there to put it right."