MP attacks electricity giant over handling of power cut claims

Mr Wiggin said statements by the firm in the aftermath of the crisis may have put people off claiming. Aquila said the "exceptional circumstances" of the storm meant it was not liable to pay out.

After talks with industry regulator Ofgem, Aquila is to pay out claims totalling £550,000 to 6,500 customers in the region, each receiving between £25 and £250.

Thousands of residents in the Malvern Hills and East Here-fordshire were cut off after the storms and in some rural areas the power cut lasted for days.

Mr Wiggin, whose Leominster constituency includes both Ledbury and Bromyard, lobbied the company over compensation, along with West Worcestershire MP Sir Michael Spicer.

While welcoming the news that money is being paid out, Mr Wiggin said: "Aquila went out of its way to tell people that because it was 'an act of God' it didn't have to pay compensation.

"That may have put people off claiming. It's a shrewd bit of business but ethically it's wrong. It has been absolutely disgraceful about it, not bothered at all."

Around 45,000 people in Herefordshire and Worcestershire were affected by a loss of electricity after the massive storm on October 27, when winds reached speeds of up to 87mph.

Money may be given to anyone who suffered power cuts for longer than 30 hours and who registered their complaint within a month of the storm.

Ofgem said it accepted the weather was severe and that power cuts were "inevitable".

But it added that many of the customers making claims received "levels of service which fell below reasonable standards".

Aquila spokeswoman Bev Harrington said the month-long compensation period was determined by Ofgem.

"I believe we responded very quickly and efficiently in exceptional conditions," she said.

"It was such a long storm it prevented us restoring supplies straight away within 18 hours. Even though exceptional circumstances, we would like to apologise for the desperation caused."