A national company has pledged to make changes following a series of blunders when letters were sent to dead customers telling them - 'Sorry you're leaving us!'

Electricity and gas provider Npower sent letters imploring two Eccleshill customers to return - despite the fact the company had been informed of both deaths months earlier.

As previously reported in the Telegraph & Argus, Ann Russell was devastated to receive the letter which was addressed to the executors of her aunt - Mary Atkinson - who had died earlier in the year.

And the company only fully responded to Mrs Russell's letter of complaint following investigation by the T&A.

At the time Npower issued a statement apologising.

But since then another Npower customer from Eccleshill has come forward.

Kevin Cannar, 55, closed the account of a friend of 20 years after she died last year.

But despite informing Npower of her death he received a copy of the same letter addressed to the Excors of his friend on August 2.

On August 10 he wrote a letter of complaint and suggested a charity donation be made to either Marie Curie or PDSA by way of apology.

He is still waiting for a reply from Npower.

"If this letter had gone to her family it would have been very distressing for them," said Mr Cannar.

"I was quite surprised they would send a letter out like that, especially when it's addressed to the executors."

And Mr Cannar expressed his disappointment at the company's lack of interest in his complaint.

"I would have expected them to reply," he said.

Kevin Miles, managing director of Npower residential, said: "We are very sorry that this situation has occurred and we sincerely apologise for any upset we've caused.

"We are treating this issue very seriously and looking into our current procedures to see what changes can be made to prevent it happening again."

The two incidents have spurred Npower into looking at ways of changing the introduction of the standard letter which is sent out to addresses when occupants move to change their energy supplier, something that happened when new residents moved into the homes of the deceased.