A Finsbury Park pensioner has been waiting 18 months for repairs to his house after gas workers left the job half done.

Now the Ombudsman has recommended his supplier Cadent fork out £7,000.

Hedley Clarke, 72, rang Cadent because of a problem with the gas in his house last year. Workers removed carpet and skirting board around the pipes in his Yonge Park home, but failed to make good the damage before they left.

Mr Clarke also alleged one worker made a racist comment but Cadent, the company that made the repairs, said it had fully investigated and found “no further action was needed”.

As well as £6,000 for the damage, the Ombudsman recommended Mr Clarke be paid £1,000 as “good will”. “How can they come into my house, mess it up and insult me and then talk about good will?” said Mr Clarke.

A Cadent spokesman said Mr Clarke had been “offered options” to rectify the damage caused by investigating and disconnecting the gas supply.