SCOTTISH Gas has apologised to a woman after she was chased for months to pay a gas bill for a property more than 200 miles from where she lives.

Christine Young, from Droitwich, says "she has never even been to Scotland" but has been receiving letters since April to pay Scottish Gas £424.53, money the firm claimed she owed.

After her story was featured in this paper, the gas firm has now apologised to the 69-year-old and offered compensation.

A spokesman from the firm said an error was made "their end", with another account added to the Broadmeadow resident's account by mistake. The spokesman conceded it "should have been resolved a lot quicker" and the firm has promised to fix the issue within 48 hours.

The spokesman added: "We would like to apologise for this mistake and assure the customer that this is now being resolved.

"We will also be offering her compensation for the stress this had caused.”

Thanking the Worcester News for highlighting her story, Miss Young said she was still sceptical it would be completely resolved after a seven month battle with the firm.

"Promises have been broken, so I'll wait and see," she said.

"I don't want it to happen to someone else."

Miss Young's nightmare began when she started receiving the bills addressed to James and Helen Young, for a home in Cadgill Road, Gretna Green, in Dumfriesshire.

Miss Young sent the letters back writing on them 'not at this address' but Scottish Gas kept sending them out including one addressed to 'Christine and Helen Young'.

"In one (of the calls) a woman said it was an obvious error and would be looked into, but it has never been sorted," Miss Young told us.

"If anything it gets worse - my 'correspondence address' has even been changed to the Gretna address on my online account now.

"I have a smart meter, I pay a direct debit bill for my home.

"This bill for the Scotland house is nothing to do with me - I don't know anyone in Scotland, I have never been there."