Workmen repairing a faulty electricity cable fled and left residents without power all night after coins were thrown at them from a tower block.

Engineers from electricity company UK Power Networks were told by police to give up trying to fix the problem in Offord Road, Islington, after one of them was struck by a coin.

They were using a pneumatic drill at around 1.30am on June 7, as they tried to return power to 41 residents.

Roger Tooth, 55, one of the Offord Road residents, said: “We heard they came under attack from thugs and had stones and coins thrown at them and police told them to give up and go home for the night.

“I couldn’t believe the police would not come out to protect these emergency workers. They should have come and chased the thugs away.”

Power was finally restored at around 12.30pm the next day.

A spokesman for UK Power Networks said: “People started throwing coins at our engineers. One was hit and following police advice, it was decided to leave the area.”

A police spokesman said: “No offences were alleged and advice was given.”