Dozens of shivering pensioners were left without heat or electricity for more than nine hours in a power cut.

About 45 flats at Veric in Eaton Gardens, Hove, were affected after an underground power cable was damaged shortly after 9am on Sunday.

Volunteers from the Red Cross were called out to provide tea, coffee and blankets while engineers from EDF Energy tried to fix the problem.

The power failure also stopped the lift in the five-storey building, meaning many elderly residents had to clamber down flights of stairs if they wanted to get out.

Resident Lewis Warwick, 37, said: “It is very cold and very dark now and people are without any heat, can’t cook anything and can’t even put the kettle on.

“Apparently the power was going off and on first thing in the morning and then went out completely later on.

“All around me there are houses and blocks of flats with their lights on but we are having to sit in the dark.

“I called EDF Energy and they said it was taking a while because they had to find a part.

“A lot of my neighbours are over 80- years-old and this is not good for them.

“The buzzer intercom system is also not working so we aren’t able to hear if anyone is trying to get in.

“We are having to use torches and our mobiles.

“Having a power cut is bad enough but at this time of year it is worse.

“It is very frustrating. There have been power cuts here throughout last week and it needs sorting out.”

EDF Energy has an agreement with the Red Cross that volunteers come out if people are expected to be cut off for a long period of time.

A spokeswoman for EDF energy said: “Our engineers are progressing with repair work to restore power to customers in the Eaton Gardens area of Hove after third party damage to one of our underground cables.

“In order to safely work on our equipment we had to interrupt power supplies in the area at 9.09am today.

“Our staff are working to restore supplies as swiftly and safely as possible.

“We have arranged for the Red Cross to work in the area on our behalf to help give practical and emotional support to customers without power.

“We do understand the inconvenience which any interruption to power can cause and apologise to anyone who is affected.”

The power was still out as The Argus went to press.