VIDEO: Dismay at diesel power generator in Storrington

A Storrington couple said they suffered the ill-effects of diesel fumes when a power generator was placed near their home last week - without them being notified beforehand.
JPCT 201213 Keith and Madeline Hatton are upset that a diesel generator has been placed at the bottom of their garden. Photo by Derek MartinJPCT 201213 Keith and Madeline Hatton are upset that a diesel generator has been placed at the bottom of their garden. Photo by Derek Martin
JPCT 201213 Keith and Madeline Hatton are upset that a diesel generator has been placed at the bottom of their garden. Photo by Derek Martin

Keith Hatton, 69, also said he slept for just an hour in the two days after the noisy generator had been placed at the Bunbury Close home he shares with wife Madeline, 66.

The diesel generator was placed next to the couple’s garden last Monday (December 16), after a power outage affecting more than 1,300 people, and was removed on Saturday (December 21).

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Mr Hatton said: “We both have coughs and chest complaints. I have always been fit and I look after my health, so this is worrying.

JPCT 201213 Keith and Madeline Hatton are upset that a diesel generator has been placed at the bottom of their garden. Photo by Derek MartinJPCT 201213 Keith and Madeline Hatton are upset that a diesel generator has been placed at the bottom of their garden. Photo by Derek Martin
JPCT 201213 Keith and Madeline Hatton are upset that a diesel generator has been placed at the bottom of their garden. Photo by Derek Martin

“In the first two days I had an hour’s sleep in 48 hours because of the fumes and noise.

“It has been a very stressful week.”

Mr Hatton said prior warning about the generator would have lessened its impact.

He said: “It is south of us and the winds have been from the south, so the fumes are blowing straight towards us.

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“I think if they had notified us or put something through the letterbox it wouldn’t be so bad.”

The home owner added that the removal of the power supplier was ‘a great relief’.

Mrs Hatton added: “At night time it is worse because everything is so quiet.

“They (UK Power Networks) have always been very apologetic and very polite and they realise it could have been put in a better place, not so near people’s houses.”

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A spokesperson for UK Power Networks said: “Power was interrupted at 8.57pm on Sunday, December 15, initially affecting 1,346 customers, though 433 had supplies restored by 9.02pm and another 641 by 9.58pm.

“Power was restored to the rest in stages by 3am on Monday, December 15, leaving seven customers. Power was restored to them via a generator at 4.58am.

“We appreciate how difficult it can be to lose power and would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused by this incident.”