AN elderly man who was without electricity in his home for six weeks during one of the coldest spells for years has power again thanks to inquiries by the Gazette & Herald.

War veteran and cancer sufferer Ralph Hall lives in an old people's bungalow at West View, Middleton.

The 79-year-old said he had been so cold that he had been taking out his two dogs, a pointer and an American spaniel, for long walks to keep warm.

He went to bed at dusk because his only light was a torch.

A one-time professional footballer with Blackpool - he played alongside the legendary Sir Stanley Matthews - and later played rugby with Bradford Northern, Mr Hall had been having meals from neighbours and a hotel because he had no way of cooking for himself.

"It was just after Christmas that the supply broke down, and I know I am up-to-date with the payments on my bills," said Ralph, who spent his working life as a marine engineer.

In his modest home, a cooker stood with a frying pan and saucepan on the hob, both unable to be used because of a lack of power. He had no television, radio or any way of heating water.

He told the Gazette & Herald that the electricity board took a long time to respond to his call for help when his supply broke down but their attempts to restore it were unsuccessful.

"It was all right for two days, and it then went off again," said Mr Hall.

Hard of hearing and having to wrap himself in heavy sweaters and a top coat in his Ryedale Housing Association home, Ralph, who has long been separated from his wife, struggles to survive and has little contact with his two sons and two daughters who live in West Yorkshire.

The pensioner served in the Second World War, even landing a Hurricane aircraft in Russia at one point, and then in the Korean War, which resulted in him spending three years in hospital as a result of injuries which left him with a serious ear injury and a subsequent loss of hearing.

Mr Hall could not recall which company supplied his electricity. Making inquiries, the Gazette & Herald contacted YEDL.

In response, a spokesman for the electricity company told us that engineers had been sent to Mr Hall's home yesterday and found a fault in his own installation. They had reset the trip switch as a result.

But, he said, it was necessary for the installation to be inspected and contact was being made with Ryedale Housing Association, Mr Hall's landlord.

The spokesman said that Mr Hall had made contact with YEDL last October, but there was no record of any subsequent contact.

A spokeswoman for Ryedale Housing Association said they had been in contact with him two or three times. They understood that the problem with electricity was only intermittent.

Updated: 09:48 Wednesday, February 25, 2004