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Gas-tronomical bill is funny to Frances

Eve Dugdale
19/11/2003

CHRISTMAS is always a time for spending money but one woman from Dukinfield may feel the pinch more than others after receiving a gas bill for nearly £11 MILLION!

After previously being impressed with her new British Gas price plan, Frances Nitti, of Ellesmere Close, was amazed when she read her latest bill for £10,910,586.92.

She said: "I opened my junk mail then came to the gas bill which I then opened. I could't believe it. I rang British Gas and spoke to a very nice lad who said it was probably wrong. I told him I hoped it was as I haven't got a direct link to the North Sea.

"I found it really funny and all the girls at work can't stop laughing."

Amused Frances said she doesn't have a gas fire or cooker and has joked with friends and family that if heating her water is so expensive she'll have to invest in a new boiler. She said: "I'll have to get a second job to pay it off."

Spokesman for British Gas, John Jessup said: "It certainly was a bill in ten million and we're glad Mrs Nitti saw the funny side. She could only use that amount of gas if she was heating every house in Tameside.

"The good news is that although the bill had crazy figures on it, our billing system recognised that Mrs Nitti only needs to pay us a tiny fraction of that for the gas she uses and we have confirmed that to her on the phone."