Pensioners were left facing Christmas with just a one-ring stove to cook on after blundering workmen cut their gas supply.

A block of sheltered flats had its gas cut off as Sussex was plunged into the coldest weather of the winter so far.

Residents called The Argus after being told they must wait until January for the problem to be fixed.

The mains supply to councilowned Leach Court in Eastern Road, Brighton, was damaged by workmen on Friday.

Southern Gas Network offered a one-ring stove at six flats which relied on gas to heat food.

As temperatures plummeted to below freezing on Wednesday night, the elderly residents were only able to heat tins.

Peter Beck, 75, who has lived in Leach Court for ten years, said: “We’ve had the stove for almost a week now. I’ve never seen one before. You can cook one tin of food at a time and that’s your lot.”

Mr Beck’s son Tracy Beck, 51, from Worthing, said: “Some people at the flats are partially sighted and I think using a little camping stove like this is not only very difficult but dangerous too.

“I think it’s awful. We’ve been told nothing apart from there is a problem with the pipework which may need to be replaced and it won’t be done before mid January.”

Brighton and Hove City Council’s housing department stepped in and has offered to supply a cooker for the affected flats in time for Christmas.

A council spokeswoman said: “The damage to the gas pipe has not affected heating at Leach Court but the cookers of six residents were affected.

“As soon as we heard about the plight of these residents, the council’s housing staff met with them to offer new full-size electric cookers as a replacement. We are delighted to report that these will be in place in time for Christmas.

“As an interim measure, the gas company provided the residents with small electric cookers.”

A spokesman for Southern Gas Network said: “On Friday our team were sent to repair a gas pipe damaged by a third party.

“It was the main pipe supplying all the flats in the block.

“We shut it off as a safety measure.

But it is our policy to replace old pipes with new ones when we come across them.

“The replacement would only take one week but we are waiting for the consent of the council to go ahead with this work.”

Have you any tips for cooking on a one-ring appliance? Tell us below.