A SHOCKED York pensioner feared he would have a heart attack after receiving an incorrect electricity bill for £2,500.

Lol Lea, 80, of Tennent Road, Acomb, is now demanding compensation from npower for the stress caused by the ordeal.

He contacted the Evening Press after we reported how npower threatened to send the bailiffs round to a York man's house to demand cash he never owed them. Gary Smales fought with the firm for 18 months over a gas bill of £28.11 that the company demanded he pay. Mr Lea said: "I couldn't believe it."

"My usual quarterly bill only comes to about £50.

"I phoned up npower and asked if they thought I was living in Blackpool illuminations.

"The first thing that came into my mind was that I would have another heart attack."

Mr Lea, who has already suffered three heart attacks in the past, said his son Tony was forced to deal with npower because of the stress it was causing him.

"I'm entitled to more compensation than £25," he said.

A spokeswoman for npower said: "We're very sorry that Mr Lea has experienced this billing problem.

"We have apologised to him in writing and cleared the status of the account in November 2002."

"We have given him some compensation as a gesture of goodwill - we're sorry he isn't happy with that."

The spokeswoman said npower inherited billing problems when they took over Independent Energy(IE).

In April 2000, the Evening Press reported how York shopkeeper Trevor Fenwick received 20 incorrect bills from IE for amounts totalling £30,000, in just 18 months.

Meanwhile, York pensioner Sylvia Briggs said she was close to breaking point after being repeatedly sent electricity bills from IE despite only ever using them for her gas supply.

Have you had a problem with your electricity bill? If so contact reporter Matthew Woodcock on 01904 653051 ext 305 or email him on matthew.woodcock@ycp.co.uk

Updated: 10:49 Friday, February 28, 2003