PENSIONER Sydney Twigg was delighted when told he was getting a new back door to his home.

After all, the added security would help him sleep more soundly.

But the Meltham man instead had nightmares for 10 days after a blunder by council workmen left a two-foot gap above the new door.

The hole was big enough for any thief or burglar to crawl through.

Now the mistake has been rectified and council officials have apologised to Mr Twigg, 80.

But if it wasn’t for friends and neighbours rallying round to alert Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing , he may have had to wait until July for the problem to be resolved.

Beth Sparrow, 31, said: “We have all had routine repairs but when I saw the gap on Sydney’s back door I just couldn’t believe it had been left like that.

“Anyone could get through it. To leave a vulnerable pensioner with an insecure back door is disgusting.

“I asked him if he had spoken to anyone at KNH and offered to take it up on his behalf.

“I have since spoken to four different people at KNH to notify them that this is not his out-house door but his back door and it needs urgently repairing.”

Another friend Carole Morris, 51, said: “We have been friends for over 40 years and we care for Sydney. There was a massive gap in the back door and it had just been left.”

Mr Twigg added: “I asked them when they had done it and they said it wasn’t their job and someone would be out to fix it.

“That was nearly two weeks ago.

“I have been on edge and nervous particularly about sleeping at night knowing that its not locked.”

A spokesman for Kirklees Building Services, which carried out the work on behalf of KNH, admitted it had been a mistake.

“We’re very sorry for the confusion about the repair to Mr Twigg’s door and Kirklees Building Services are looking into what happened so this kind of mistake doesn’t happen again.

“Some loose bricks had to be removed from above the door when the new one was fitted on May 30.

“A repair was ordered to fix the brickwork, but unfortunately this was listed as a routine job, not as an urgent one.

“This should not have happened and we apologise to Mr Twigg for this mistake.

“Building Services went to see Mr Twigg yesterday to explain what has happened and have carried out the repairs.”