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OAP, 72, holds female Hotpoint delivery driver ‘hostage’

A pensioner held a Hotpoint delivery driver hostage after he was repeatedly sent faulty cookers, saying “I don’t make a habit of this but I’ve had enough”.

Police were called after Ivan Langley, 72, locked the female driver in his home during a row over what he perceived as poor service from the electrical goods company.

Anna Hawes, 34, was held against her will for more than two hours after the OAP claimed he had given consecutive faulty ovens from the company in just a matter of days.

The bizarre dispute was sparked after Mr Langley became being incensed when his second replacement cooker turned out to be dented.

It was delivered to replace his £470 new cooker he bought last month, which blew up a few days later and short-circuited his home’s electrics.

He took the decision to lock a visibly surprised Miss Hawes in his bungalow after her was told a third new oven would not be available for a week.

As police attempted to diffuse the stand-off the retired lorry driver, who is disabled, declared: “I don’t make a habit of this but I’ve had enough”.

Mr Langley, from Newton Flotman, near Norwich, Norfolk, said he had been driven to take such direct action because of what he claimed was the company’s “diabolical” service.

“(The first replacement oven) blew up a few days later and tripped all the electrics in the house,” said the pensioner, who lives in a specially-adapted bungalow with his wife Sally, who is also disabled.

“They delivered a second one, but the same thing happened. When the third one was delivered it had a dent in the back.

“They told me I wouldn’t be able to get a replacement until Thursday next week.”

He added: “What are we supposed to do in the meantime? I don’t want this one blowing up as well.

“Anna has taken it very well. She has been treated with respect and we haven’t beaten her up or anything. We’ve even offered her a bed for the night.

“It’s been quite funny but there has been a serious point behind it.”

Mrs Langley, 72, added: “He’s a very easy-going bloke, but Hotpoint have been so bad it’s driven him round the twist.

“You wouldn’t want a cooker that doesn’t work, would you?”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .