TWO local MPs are carrying on the fight to win compensation for people who lost power during the storm in October.

Thousands of customers were left without electricity, some for up to 96 hours, following high winds in the early hours of October 27.

Power company Aquila said its normal obligation to pay out does not apply because of the unusual weather conditions.

Leominster MP Bill Wiggin, plus several constituents, will be confronting Aquila chief executive Don Bacon at a public meeting in Tenbury Wells on Friday, January 17.

"I'm relieved the head of Aquila has decided to get off his high horse and meet me to discuss some of the important issues that occurred as a result of the power supply losses that weekend," said Mr Wiggin.

"Although Don Bacon may hope that he can conveniently pass off the power supply losses as an act of God, I think he's going to find it extremely difficult to pass off the way Aquila handled the crisis in similar terms," he said.

West Worcestershire MP Sir Michael Spicer has been told by industry regulator Ofgem that customers should not blindly accept Aquila's statement that it does not have to pay out.

He said: "I'm encouraged by this. I continue to be convinced that Aquila should consider on their merits the claims for compensation from their customers who were badly hit by storm damage."

Aquila spokesman Caroline Boots said the company had received about 6,000 claims for compensation and had paid out in about 300 cases, a total of around £20,000.

She said: "In the majority of cases, these are people with medical conditions."