A pioneering heating system designed for the icy chills of Finland is struggling to cope with a Bradford winter, a resident claims.

People living in new Incommunities bungalows have complained their central heating is not as warm and eco-friendly as was first made out.

Arthritis and angina sufferer Mary Wallace, 57, said the shock of getting a £1,000 electric bill for four months of heating and cooking power sent even more of a chill down her spine.

She said: “It’s just ridiculous. This spanking new heating system supposed to work well in Finland doesn’t work at all here in Bradford. Even when it’s on full-blast there’s nothing coming out of it.

“We’ve been frozen solid and spend most of the day in bed to try to keep warm. My daughter sobbed when she came to visit and begged us to go and stay with her over winter but this is our home.”

Mrs Wallace, who moved from an Incommunities flat in Manchester Road, added: “Our heating bills were just £50 a month there and we’d only cook every other day.

“Now we’re here it’s so cold we can’t even bear to use the shower and daren’t cook any hot meals at all. We’re stung with no working heating and massive bills. What’s going on?”

Mrs Wallace said other neighbours were also having problems in the flats that were specially built for older people.

“We’ve had engineers out but still no joy. You can press that thermostat button til Doomesday to get it hotter but it’s not getting any warmer.”

A spokesman for Incommunities said Mrs Wallace’s home was fitted with an exhaust air source heat pump, which works by maintaining a regulated temperature level.

“It is fully functioning with a thermostatic temperature control up to 26 degrees Celsius. An engineer is checking the heating system at Mrs Wallace’s home and the neighbouring properties on Spring Wood Gardens and Tannett Green,” he said.

“In response to Mrs Wallace’s specific needs we are providing additional temporary heating.”