A pensioner's bungalow was damaged when an electricity cable snapped in strong winds.

Villagers have blamed Southern Electric, saying it would not have happened if the telegraph pole carrying the cables had been better maintained.

The cable hit the bungalow's roof, in Middle Barton, north Oxfordshire, breaking and dislodging tiles.

The owner did not want to be named.

But Richard Williams, who lives nearby in Hillside Road, said he had been complaining to Southern Electric since 1976 about the pole and its stabilising cable.

He said an engineer had told him six years ago that the pole in his garden was dangerous, and would be reported.

But Mr Williams said that since then nothing had been done.

A stabilising wire, which was attached to the gable end of the pensioner's bungalow behind Mr Williams's house, snapped during Sunday's storm.

Mr Williams said: "The wind was a factor, but it was an accident waiting to happen. "It has caused the owner a lot of distress. If there had been half a day's maintenance it would not have happened."

A spokesman for Southern Electric said the matter was being investigated.

Rail passengers have been warned to expect delays and cancellations today on Chiltern Railways services serving Bicester, Banbury and Haddenham & Thame Parkway.

Due to signal problems after Sunday's storm, the company is running limited services and is advising passengers to use alternative routes.

Chiltern said it was working with Railtrack to restore a safe and reliable service as quickly as possible. For latest information, log onto www.chilternrailways.co.uk or call 08705 165165 from 7am to 8pm.

Virgin Trains has also cancelled several services via Oxford and Banbury.