Council housing bosses have apologised for issuing a £177 bill to a pensioner whose front door was forced open by staff called by a neighbour to check on her welfare.

Caring neighbour Jean Auton raised the alarm when she became worried about 79-year-old Irene Wilkinson, who lives alone in a flat in Lidget Green.

Mrs Wilkinson's milk was on her doorstep in mid-afternoon, and her curtains were drawn. Mrs Auton, 64, alerted Careline after ringing on her neighbour's doorbell to no avail.

"They got someone in to break the door down," Mrs Auton said. "Irene had just gone away for a few days. The people from Careline told me not to worry, that I had done the right thing and not to get upset about it.

"I thought no more about its until last week when she came and showed me a bill she was sent. It was for £177 to cover emergency entry and the replacement of two locks. I couldn't believe it - they tell you to look out for people, but then they do this. It makes me very cross."

Mrs Wilkinson, queried the bill with housing officials but was told she had to pay.

But the Council backed down after being contacted by the Telegraph & Argus.

A spokesman for Bradford Council's said: "In many emergency call-outs it is standard Council policy to re-charge the tenant for the time and work which this service entails."

Mrs Wilkinson told the T&A: "What a weight off my mind this is. I was about to pay the bill."

Sam Sykes, of Age Concern, said: "We recommend that if people are going away they tell a trusted key holder or neighbour."

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