A GRANDMOTHER had to endure this dilapidated kitchen for a year before it was fixed.

Christine Peck, 64, has lived in Blackbird Leys since childhood and moved into a flat in Windrush Tower three years ago.

Last December the kitchen cupboards came crashing to the ground following a string of damp problems that left the walls flaking and sodden for 12 months.

At her wits’ end, Ms Peck contacted the Oxford Mail in September. Requests for an explanation were put to Oxford City Council on Monday.

Just days later, work began at her house.

The former paper mill worker, who lives with her son Stephen Pelczynski, said: “I first contacted the council about a year ago.

“A leak was coming from the flat upstairs but they wanted me to go up myself, and put a note through the door. It’s not my job to do that.”

Ms Peck has seven children, 24 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. By Christmas the walls were flaking so badly that paint and plaster work was landing in the food.

Not long after, the cupboards fell straight off the wall.

Mr Pelczynski, 30, said: “No-one was in the kitchen at the time but we heard a big bang, and that was that. It took some of the tiles off the wall.”

For the past nine months the pair have been confined to takeaways and microwave meals. The property above, where the leak first came from, was fixed during this time.

Ms Peck suffers from osteoporosis and thyroid problems.

She said: “I have been really stressed and stayed at my daughter’s house just to get away from here.”

Daughter Kerry Pelczynski, 36, of Greater Leys, said: “The council have been out and seen it.

“I wrote a letter to the manager of the repairs team requesting a new kitchen out of courtesy as they have left it so long, and because of everything she has been through. It would be a nice gesture.

“It’s awful that there’s an older person living in this condition. We can walk away and go home and we have got to leave Mum with it here.”

Work began on the property last Thursday although the original work orders, seen by the Oxford Mail, were sent to the family about seven weeks ago.

Graham Bourton, Oxford City Council’s head of direct services, said on Wednesday: “When we were made aware of the problems from the flat above, we struggled to gain access.

“Eventually we did and found the leak was from that tenant’s own washing machine.

“We did not manage to attend to the outstanding repairs in the flat below as quickly as we would have liked to and we apologise for the delay.”