RESIDENTS in Alvechurch are being left out in the cold after a village store refused to top-up energy power cards.

Furious Justine Bailey claims residents are being made to travel to Batchley, Northfield or Catshill, after staff at the Co-op Food Stores in The Square recently refused to credit SmartPower cards.

"They say the top-up machines are too problematic," said Mrs Bailey.

"However, because this is the only place in the village where top-up is available they are obliged to call a hotline and get the cards credited that way. But all the staff could do was shrug their shoulders."

The mum said that while she was fortunate enough to be able to drive to the next retailer, some other villagers without cars were not so lucky.

"I have already had to take my neighbour in the car to a store in Catshill to get their power card topped up.

"What would happen if a pensioner's power supply suddenly went off and they didn't have a car to go to another store? With the weather so cold at the moment, it is particularly worrying."

She added: "I am really angry for other residents in the village, particularly the pensioners and single mums."

But a Co-operative Group spokesman said: "We would like to apologise to the customer of our Alvechurch store who was unable to receive a power card top-up through the Payzone service on Thursday.

"Due to technical problems beyond our control the service was out of order but an engineer was called and the machine was fixed within 24 hours.

"Again our apologies go to this customer and any other shoppers for any inconvenience caused."