A PENSIONER was in dispute with his electricity supplier after he was forced to spend over £500 for just five month's power.

And N-Power said Alton Andrew, 65, of Armitage Street, Primrose Hill owed them another £420.93 for electricity Mr Andrew said he hadn't used.

Mr Andrew, a retired taxi driver, was worried he could be facing winter without electricity as he could no longer afford the 'extortionate' bills.

Father-of-two Mr Andrew switched to a pre-pay meter in June.

In just nine days, Mr Andrew had to spend £75 on electricity, despite living alone in a small flat with two economy heaters. And N-Power charged him £8 a week to defray the debt Mr Andrew didn't owe.

A bailiff's letters arrived on March 28 demanding an immediate payment of £302.72 and the figure kept increasing.

This wasn't father-of-two Mr Andrew's first clash with N-Power.

In December 2003, N-Power admitted fault after sending Mr Andrew a bill for £1,081.46 - even though he used a prepaid card meter.

Dissatisfied with the service, Mr Andrew tried to switch to Southern Electric but N-Power objected due to his outstanding debts.

Mr Andrew said: "They're just wheeling the money away. I've spoken to N-Power so many times and I'm fed up. I can't understand the way they're billing me.

"I wanted to change to Southern Electric because of the way N-Power were treating me, but they say I can't because I owe them money and I don't. I live in a little flat and I can't see how I can be burning all this electricity.

"I can't afford it. I've got water and food to pay for. It's just impossible.

A spokesman for N-Power said: "I was very concerned to hear about Mr Andrew's problems. We do not wish to see any of our customers struggling. We immediately contacted him to apologise for the worry this has caused him and reassured him that he would not receive any more letters asking for money.

"We have clearly been incorrectly billing him and he certainly should not be paying for any electricity he hasn't actually used.

"Once his account has been amended we will also offer him a gesture of goodwill for the upset this has caused him.

"He now also has a personal account manager who is looking after him and who will be making sure Mr Andrew does not experience any problems with his account in the future."