A businessman is turning the clock back to Victorian times and installing gas lights at his home because his electricity supplier is so unreliable.

Trevor Taylor, who lives in the village of Spelsbury, near Charlbury, says he is fed up with being plunged into darkness.

Southern Electric said there had been good reasons for the power cuts, including a lightning strike and a drunk driver hitting a pole.

After the latest power cut on February 22, Mr Taylor, who runs his own production company, Taylormade Broadcasts, said: "We have to keep candles around the house. We also have small portable gas lamps, but now the power cuts have become so common, I've asked a local contractor to install gas lamps throughout the house.

"It may be going back to Victorian times, but at least the gas company never lets us down."

Mr Taylor, 55, believed many people were likely to be eligible for compensation. He has asked the regulator Ofgen to investigate.

A Southern Electric spokesman apologised to customers, but said an action plan was being drafted.

She said: "There's no simple answer to improving the reliability of the network.

"So far, we've replaced an underground cable and installed a new components on the overhead network. However, we recognise that we need to do more."

She said the firm was willing to meet customers to discuss its plans.

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