AUDREY Willis was forced to move to a rest home after she was left without electricity for a week.The 74-year-old was one of several elderly people transferred into care by Suffolk County Council's social services after their homes lost power following last month's fierce storms.

AN elderly woman has been forced to move to a rest home after she was left without electricity for a week.

Audrey Willis, 74, was one of several elderly people transferred into care by Suffolk County Council's social services after their homes lost power following last month's fierce storms.

Mrs Willis, who lives alone in a village near Ipswich and suffers from diabetes, returned home from chapel on October 27 to find she had no power to cook dinner.

She survived for five days by eating sandwiches or warm food supplied by friends and wrapping herself in cardigans and a coat.

"I had no heating and no electricity. I was so cold and getting a bit low by Friday. Social services heard I was without power and they were worried about me," said Mrs Willis.

She was taken to Clench House residential home on Friday night, where she stayed until the following Tuesday.

Rosina Hucker, 77, a neighbour of Mrs Willis, who has suffered two strokes and a broken arm, was also left without electricity for a week and had to move in with her granddaughter for a few days.

Nick Akers, from 24seven, said its policy was to give priority to vulnerable customers and those with special needs.

He added: "We made contact with county councils' emergency planning departments, who passed us information about those customers. In a lot of cases we were able to get out to them as a priority. Part of the review will be to learn lessons from the storm."