Two sisters were stunned when a double-glazing firm arrived at their house and removed the front door and three other doors, writes Stephen Deal.

Margaret Turner and her sister, Jane Green, were left with gaping holes and phoned the police who arranged for the doorways to be boarded up.

Mum-of-two Mrs Turner has now contacted solicitors about the action of Abingdon Double Glazing Company.

Mrs Turner, of White Road, Cowley, Oxford, claims she arranged for the Eynsham-based company to fit a new front door, kitchen door, conservatory door and internal door, as well as the windows, at a cost of £3,605. The work was done but the sisters felt the standard of finish did not justify full payment and claim they paid £2,500 in cash.

The company disputes that any money had been paid and Mrs Green has no receipt to prove it.

Mrs Turner said: "I was watching TV when three people came to the door and said 'We are going to have to take the doors off'."

Mrs Green added: "There is a 15-month-old boy here who needs protection."

Bill Allen, the company's general manager, said the firm had asked for the money without success on more than 20 occasions. Malcolm Seward, senior advice officer for Oxfordshire's trading standards, said the normal route of action by a company which disputed how much it had been paid was to take civil action in the courts.

He added: "They shouldn't come and remove it, they should be pursuing it through the legal system"

He said the action the company had taken in this case raised the possible issues of trespass and theft.

A spokesman for Oxford Police said: "The police will look into the case to see if any criminal offence has taken place."

Story date: Thursday 02 December

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