A MAN aged 71 blames his collapse on three months of turmoil during home improvements.

Derek Alderson claims he's had to put up with a series of botches which has led to work going on ... and on ... and on.

He says bungling workers:

* Put in a bath the wrong way round.

* Left a lump in the middle of the relaid kitchen floor.

* Failed to come back for days on end.

Long-suffering Derek eventually collapsed on a trip to the post office and was taken to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary for checks.

His family said his health had not been helped by the fiasco at his bung- alow in Bradshaw Avenue, Honley.

Derek said: "I've had three months of stress during all this. I've got my stuff all over the place while I wait for the work to be finished."

Work on the one-bedroom property is part of a drive to improve Kirklees Council homes.

Housing chiefs are to visit Derek.

His brother, Ken, 68, said: "He's having to get up at 7am every day to go into the bathroom and get ready for workmen - who then don't come. He's not been able to have a lie-in or go on holiday all that time. The worst thing is the total lack of co-ordination over the work."

Derek's complaint is just the latest in a number of protests over work on council houses in Honley being done by building firm Enterprise.

Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing, which manages council homes, said Derek's gas and electricity meters needed to be moved.

Work on this was outside the control of housing officials. Pressure was being put on firms to get the job done, said a spokeswoman.

"This has caused delays as it means that the kitchen cannot be fully completed until both meters have been relocated," she added.

The spokeswoman said workmen did not need to return every day as most of the work was finished.

She added: "The work in the bathroom will be finished by today. While a date cannot be given for the kitchen, the cooker, washing machine and fridge are all useable," she said.