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Moray pensioner left at risk by BT after panic alarm was cut-off for days

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An 85-year-old Moray woman’s panic alarm was cut off for five days after her new telephone provider failed to connect her line.

Violet Foulis suffers from a rare disorder of the inner ear called Meniere’s disease, which affects her balance and leaves her prone to serious falls.

The great-great-grandmother wears a community alarm pendant around her neck to call for assistance, which is linked through her phone connection.

But the Lossiemouth pensioner said she felt “isolated” and unsafe when BT left her without a phone-line last Friday.

She had agreed to switch providers because she thought she would receive a better service.

But instead Mrs Foulis, who lost her husband Davie last year, had her daughters Fiona Fulton, 49, and Maureen Garbutt, 63, keep a vigil over her as they battled to get her connected again.

Mrs Foulis spoke of her relief yesterday when the line was finally restored.

Her children claimed it was not until they advised BT that the Press and Journal had been contacted that action was taken.

“I was really worried without the phone, I just felt so isolated as I rely on it so much,” said Mrs Foulis.

“I had to hold onto walls to get about, and I made sure to be extra careful during those five days.

“I was lucky that my family were nearby to keep an eye on me, but there are other people my age who don’t have that, and I’d fear for them in this situation.”

Her daughter, Fiona, said: “My mum was without a service for almost a week, and every day I spent hours trying to get it sorted.

“She was left alone, frightened and completely vulnerable.

“I explained that mum has medical difficulties and the phone-line is a vital lifeline for her, but BT didn’t seem to care.

“I just can’t understand why there were such delays, it’s not as if they had to lay cables.”

Last night, a BT spokesman apologised for the family’s ordeal.

He said: “The order to install the line on Friday failed and was given the next available appointment, which was Wednesday.

“We’re sorry this happened and would like to apologise for the inconvenience and frustration it caused.”