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Shrewsbury gran sweltering in 'dangerous' 31C heat is refused air con in £1,600-a-month home unless she pays for it herself

An elderly grandmother sweltering in “dangerously high” temperatures in her £1,600-a-month old folks accommodation has been refused air conditioning unless she pays for it herself.

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Widow Gillian Davidson has been suffering over the last five weeks, with temperatures soaring to as high as 31.6C in her flat at Withywood, Penson Way, off Ellesmere Road in Shrewsbury.

Grandmother Gillian Davidson has been struggling with the heat at her assisted living accommodation in Shrewsbury. Housing Plus Group have said they will not pay for air conditioning
Grandmother Gillian Davidson has been struggling with the heat at her assisted living accommodation in Shrewsbury. Housing Plus Group have said they will not pay for air conditioning

Her daughters Rachel Lampen and Amanda Davidson have been pleading with Housing Plus Group for the last month to install air conditioning in their 88-year-old mother’s accommodation.

However, the company has said they do not provide it in residents' apartments, and if she wants air conditioning she will have to source her own portable unit. The communal area on the ground floor has air conditioning.

The Health and Safety Executive says “temperatures exceeding 80°F (approximately 26.7°C) can pose significant risks to the elderly, such as dehydration and heat-related illnesses”.