A family has demanded compensation from British Gas after losing four rare fish and their frozen Christmas turkey in a power supply bungle.

Diane and Adi Levene, who buy their electricity from British Gas, lost their supply for a total of 36 hours during a one-week period.

The problems began when mother-of-four Mrs Levene lost the key for the electricity meter on her way to the shop to have it charged.

Mrs Levene, of Southview Road, Portslade, phoned British Gas immediately to request a replacement electricity key on the afternoon of Wednesday, December 11.

But by 8am on Thursday morning the key had not arrived and the electricity had run out.

The family were left without any heating, lighting or power to the pumps which supply oxygen to their pond where Mrs Levene kept her prized Koi carp and a £600 diamond back sturgeon.

The electricity remained off throughout Thursday until a meter man arrived and added £10 credit to the meter but still no key.

Mr Levene made repeated calls for a key and was told one would be put in the post but it had still not arrived by Sunday and the £10 top-up had almost run out. The meter man returned with another £5-worth of credit, which lasted until Tuesday, December 17.

Mrs Levene, whose youngest son Dylan is nine months old, said: "We had no lights so we were using candles, which is very dangerous with little ones about. We had no television, no heating and no Christmas lights."

By this time the food in the freezer was wrecked, including a turkey, and four of the family's prized fish had died.

The couple were so exasperated trying to get a key from British Gas, they asked for one from the Seeboard meter man who called at their home on later on the Tuesday.

Mrs Levene said: "He was not supposed to give us a key since it had to come from British Gas but we begged him. He made some phone calls and went to his van and made us one. My children were telling him they loved him.

"We were without electricity for 36 hours. I have had to replace about £80-worth of Christmas food and buy takeaways because we couldn't cook. The fish have died."

The key from British Gas finally arrived on Saturday morning, eleven days after being requested.

Mrs Levene sent a letter to the managing director of British Gas, asking for £1,000.58 for the lost fish and food and extra compensation for the inconvenience and cost of phone calls.

A spokeswoman for British Gas said it would not be responsible for paying compensation, but Powercare, the company responsible for the cards and ensuring the supply is maintained, would pay £20 for every 24 hours' loss of supply.

The spokeswoman said: "A request for a card was made and normally it takes five working days to send a card out. The request was put through. It was going to take a little bit longer because of Christmas but we did not expect it to take 11 days.

"From the point of view of the koi carp and the other fish and the food, Powercare will not pay out compensation and we suggest the customer looks to their household insurance."