A couple claim to have suffered cold and abuse at the hands of a window company.

Michael and Patricia Heaton say they were treated awfully by Safestyle UK, one of the country's biggest window firms. But the company hits back, claiming the couple have nothing to complain about.

The Heatons had decided to get two new windows fitted downstairs - one in the lounge at the front of the house and one in the kitchen at the back.

The couple, of Broomhill Avenue, Keighley, wanted to improve the insulation of the house, something particularly important since Michael's health problems began. He explains: "I had a triple heart bypass operation three years ago and then had another heart attack in February."

That left him with 30 per cent of his heart capacity not working. He was unable to do any of the manual work he could previously do on his home - including fitting windows.

The couple chose Safestyle UK, believing they could rely on a national company.

But, Michael, 53, says: "The whole fitting was an absolute shambles. One man turned up and he came with the excuse of 'I'm sorry, but my usual partner is unable to come because he has to go to hospital.' I thought 'This is not going to work'."

According to Michael, the company quoted four-five hours to do the work. But he says the fitter began work at 9.30am on a Thursday, not leaving until 7.30pm. He resumed the job at 8am the next day, completing it around 2.30pm. He was there more than 16 hours.

And Michael - with circulation problems caused by his condition and therefore difficulty keeping warm - had to endure hours of open windows.

He says: "When we tried to ring the company, we got nothing but abuse - they tried to fob us off all the time. I said 'I want to speak to someone with authority, who sent the fitter out'. The fitter's manager rang after a while and my wife had a word with him. She got a bit irate. Things were going terribly wrong - they had even sent the wrong parts."

The manager spoke to his fitter, but Patricia eavesdropped on the other phone and says she heard herself referred to as a 'whingeing bitch.'

The job was eventually completed satisfactorily, but Michael remains angry. "The really annoying thing was when I rang up and tried to get help that somebody could take this attitude," he says.

Simon Townsend, Safestyle UK's customer services manager, does not believe there has been any cause for complaint.

He told us: "I spoke with him this time last week and he said that everything had been done to his satisfaction.

"Even if one fitter attended, it was a very able one who did a quality job."

Mr Townsend suggests how Patricia could have handled the situation. "I might have found it advantageous to put Mr Heaton in a neighbour's house," he says.

He also suggests that the reason the job took longer was because the fitter was doing a 'good job'.

He adds: "In this industry - bear in mind we are the biggest in the country - you can't say how long it would take and how many fitters. Each job is assessed independently.

"Mr Heaton was happy with the job and the contract was fulfilled.

"It goes without saying that the company is sorry that the Heatons have taken this stance - I apologise if they feel they have been badly treated."

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