Shawbury Residents Report Feeling ‘Abandoned’ Amid Prolonged Power Outage

Residents of Shawbury, Shropshire, have expressed feeling “abandoned” following an electricity outage that has lasted over 60 hours. The disruption began at 19:00 GMT on Saturday when Storm Darragh caused a power line to fall. Local inhabitants reported minimal updates from Scottish Power regarding the anticipated restoration of electricity, leading some to sleep in their coats. Scottish Power stated its teams were working “flat out” to reinstate power and had provided food vouchers and hotel lodging to affected residents. Maureen Wilde indicated that her household was utilizing a camping stove for heating food and water. She stated, “We’ve got no gas, no wood-burner – we’ve had to borrow a gas ring from a neighbour.” Mrs. Wilde described the circumstances as a “desperate situation,” noting that both she and her husband are in their 80s. She remarked, “We’re just left, we’re abandoned – just desperate and not knowing what to do to resolve it.” John Challoner, 89, identified as the most senior resident on Pinewood Road in Shawbury, has also been without electricity at his residence since Saturday, mirroring the situation for the entire street. He commented, “I’ve slept at night in my day clothes with several layers on.” Mr. Challoner further elaborated, “I’m not mobile, so I can’t run around to keep warm. It’s 11 degrees indoors – I can’t stand the cold.” He concluded, “You just think ‘what on earth are [Scottish Power] doing?’ “They just keep fobbing you off.” Stephen Joseph, 68, a retired mental health nurse who provides care for Mr. Challoner, reported having to discard all frozen food, which Mr. Challoner “depends on.” He also relied on the local church to charge his phone. Mr. Joseph remarked, “What’s very frustrating is that a few people have got power back [in Shawbury], but we’ve just been left behind.” Paul Sharp, who chairs the village parish council, identified the primary grievance as Scottish Power’s insufficient communication. He stated, “If it takes a month to fix, then it takes a month to fix – and I’m sure they’re working as quickly as possible to do so, but when people’s health is at risk they must be honest about how long it’s going to take.” Mr. Sharp noted that over recent days, the company had issued numerous messages indicating imminent power restoration, yet without tangible outcomes. He added, “The community has been wonderful, but we do feel slightly abandoned.” A Scottish Power spokesperson commented that Storm Darragh “was a rare red event, and 93mph winds have caused our network extensive damage.” The company further stated it was “working flat out, including through the night when safe to do so, to get everyone back on as soon as possible.” The spokesperson added, “We have a small number of customers still without power and we’re continuing to provide hotel accommodation and have been sending out food vouchers via text.” They also confirmed, “Welfare checks and additional support are ongoing for Priority Services Register customers and we’re in regular contact with local councillors and representatives providing updates and offering a point of contact.” For further updates, BBC Shropshire can be followed on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.