REPRESENTATIVES of Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) faced a hall full of Elstead villagers on Monday, and apologised for the distribution company's poor communications during the four-day power cut at Christmas caused by storms.

The painful review of the festive period was played out at a meeting of Elstead Parish Council, in front of many of the hundreds of villagers left without heating or light from December 23 until Boxing Day.

Five SSE representatives attended, just a day before the bosses of SSE and four other power distribution networks appeared before a Commons Select Committee and were accused of "utter complacency" over their response to the storm damage.

Elstead households were among 750,000 properties affected at Christmas, but for them it had been no new experience.

For full story, see this week's Farnham Herald.