AN 86-year-old went more than three weeks without a shower while waiting for Golden Gates Housing Trust to refurbish her bathroom.

Doris Winshap, of Avery Close, Orford, had to wait for more than 21 days for the work to be finished in her bungalow after her family say she was initially told it would take fitters eight to 10 days to complete the job.

Her granddaughter Lyndsey Trantum said: “They decided to upgrade the bathroom and fit in a wet room.

“But she ended up going for three weeks without having a shower and all she has been able to have is a flannel wash.

“I think it’s shocking.

“Her floor was only laid last Wednesday but it was bare before that.

“The shower was fitted last week as well but she still couldn’t use it because it wasn’t water tight.

“There was one week were they turned up at the beginning of the week one morning then didn’t come back until the following Tuesday.”

And due to Doris’ inability to walk up the stairs her family could not even come to her aid.

“I live in a terrace and she just is not able to get up the stairs to my bathroom and my mum lives in a third floor flat so its the same problem there for her to come to anyone else for a shower,” added Lyndsey.

A spokesman from Golden Gates Housing Trust said: “We are sorry to hear that our tenant is unhappy about the length of time taken to install her new wet room.

"Due to the extensive nature of the work required, our contractor’s resident liaison officer had notified the tenant that this would take a total of 13 working days and that while every effort would be made to provide access to a toilet and wash hand basin during the work, full bathing or showering facilities would not be available.

“Having investigated it appears that on this occasion work actually took 14 working days. We can confirm that all work has now been completed and signed off by the tenant.”