FURIOUS residents had to be evacuated after a new £27million community heating system flooded homes.

Cube Housing Association has been forced to apologise to families in the Wyndford Area of Maryhill whose homes were damaged.

Seven properties (one unoccupied) were affected, and two families, one including a 76-year-old woman, had to be relocated to other properties.

A new centralised heating system is being installed by Cube Housing Association which will replace individual boilers in hundreds of homes.

It is believed to be the biggest project of its kind in the UK and will involve every tenant being given new central heating.

However, a number of homes have suffered major flood damage since the heating was installed. One tenant was left "ankle deep" in water.

Scottish and Southern Energy, which is involved in the project, said the problem was caused by a leak in the hot water pipework. Investigations are still ongoing into the cause of the problem and Cube Housing said repairs were being carried out to homes.

John Bell, 47, who lives in Glenfinnan Drive, said his home became flooded the day after his heating system was fitted.

He said: "My heating was put in on September 6 and the flooding started the next day.

"I was ankle deep in water and all my carpets have had to be lifted. It's a shambles."

Neighbour Netta Wylie, 83, who is blind and has difficulty walking, said she is trapped in her home due to her electric mobility chair not working after it was soaked with water.

Mrs Wylie said: "They gave me a dehumidifier and someone from the electricity company came out when it first happened, but they never came back. I've lived in this house for 46 years, but they won't tell us what's happening with any repairs."

Residents on the floor below have fared no better and told the Evening Times that the water leaking from the floor above had caused their ceilings to collapse.

A pipe in the ceiling of the close was still leaking when we went out to investigate.

Andrea Harvey, 38, and her fiance Stephen McGurn, 31, say they've been reduced to 'living in squalor' and that Mr McGurn, who is chronically ill with pancreatitis, doesn't even have a bed to rest in.

Ms Harvey said: "Stephen was actually back in hospital that night as he was so ill.

"We had been making dinner when I heard a whooshing sound. I thought it was the fridge but then I saw the water.The ceilings in both the bedrooms caved in and most of our furniture is ruined, including all the beds."

The couple say they were given emergency accomodation for three days at the Premier Inn at Charing Cross.

They've have now been moved to a flat two doors down from their own and are storing belongings in an outside storage cupboard.

Mr McGurn, 31, said: "I've been in that house for six years. All my kids photos have been ruined. They can't come and stay with me until this gets sorted out as we haven't got any beds for them.

"We've been left to live in squalor and I don't know when we'll be able to go home."

The new heating system will provide hot water and heating for 1527 tenanted properties using a centralised energy centre at the edge of the estate. Community energy systems are common in other European countries where they have led to "substantial" reductions in fuel bills.

Cube Chief Executive Lynn McCulloch said: "We have apologised to the six families affected by this flooding incident two weeks ago and have done absolutely everything we can to help them.

"Two families whose homes were worst affected have been now been given new homes.

"We are carrying out repairs to homes which were affected. Damage to homes is still being assessed and Cube will do everything it can to make sure no resident is out of pocket."

A spokesman for Scottish and Southern Energy said: "While we are not accepting liability we have taken responsibility for the issues. We felt it appropriate that someone took responsibility for this. A full investigation is underway to inspect the entire heating system and ensure this does not happen again.

"If property cannot be repaired it will be replaced."

Cube Chief Executive Lynn McCulloch said: "We are very sorry to hear if any tenant feels in anyway let down. We've been in regular contact with residents affected and are trying to help with any issues they raise.

"If there is anything we can do to help them further we'd urge them to talk to us about it as soon as possible."