SEEBOARD has apologised to more than 100 residents of an 18-storey tower block who faced chaos today when their electricity was cut off for SIX hours.

Pensioners and families at Chartwell Court, next to Churchill Square, Brighton, had to walk up the stairs after the electricity authority decided to turn off the power to their lift.

It is carrying out maintenance work at a sub-station under the 70 flats from 10am to 4pm.

Residents have demanded to know why the work could not be carried out at night.

Harold Lawson, 77, chairman of Chartwell Court Residents Association, said: "It's a nightmare.

"The lifts, cooking and lighting will all be off. And water is pumped up to us, so the pumps won't work either.

"I think they are being totally unreasonable. We asked them to do the work between midnight and 6am but they refused.

"I will probably go out but I am worried for elderly people and young families here who will be stuck. Everyone is unhappy about it."

A Seeboard spokesman said: "We carried out a risk assessment of the building and for a variety of reasons it was felt that it would be better to do the work in daylight than through the night.

"The work is to upgrade supplies because of the new development at Churchill Square. Our men will start promptly and we hope to get the work done with the minimum of inconvenience."

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