MANWEB face legal action from a man who alleges that company negligence almost killed him on two separate occasions.

And Paul Marsh also plans to sue Halton Council because he claims Castle Rise council house is falling apart.

Paul, 32, has been asking the council to repair his house for two years.

"I have nearly been killed in this house four times. It's disgusting the way they have left it, " he said.

There have also been two fires there in the past three months.

"Three months ago, I put an electricity token in the meter and it was thrown back," explained Mr Marsh, who suffers from arthritis.

"I put another one in and I heard this crackle. Next thing the meter exploded.

"A fire started and glass from the meter was embedded in my arm, causing an infection.

"I have lost the muscle in my right arm and have had two major operations. I've lost half my arm because of Manweb."

"It's not fit for a dog to live in."

There was another fire two Sundays ago.

Paul said: "I was asleep on my couch as I am on sleeping tablets because of the way this house is. My dog came flying down the stairs."

Paul's dog woke him by sinking its teeth into his foot - biting his shoe in half.

"I got up and I couldn't see where I was going. It was thick smoke. I grabbed the fire extinguisher. The fire was blazing in the kitchen.

"The flames were going towards the main gas meter at the back of the kitchen."

Paul stopped the fire igniting the gas, thus preventing an explosion.

The fires further damaged the house. There is a gaping hole in the stairs, plug sockets are hanging from the walls, floorboards are loose, brickwork is rotting and half the bathroom ceiling has caved in.

"I have been having really bad nightmares about this house," he said.

"I've fallen through the stairs three times. Once I was stuck there for two days."

His mother said: "He is living in fear. He goes to sleep and wakes up at the slightest thing."

Paul said: "It's down to Manweb and the council because they should have done something three months ago.

"If it wasn't for my dog I would be dead and the kids next door would have been dead."

A council spokesperson said: "A repairs inspector has visited the property in question this week and most of the electrical repairs have already taken place. Repair work has been ordered in the past for this house, but we have been unable to gain access to the property to carry out these repairs."

A Manweb spokesperson said: "Safety of our customers is our primary concern. When we were told of this incident, we replaced the meter and cable head.

"We cannot confirm what may have caused the fire as Mr Marsh refused to return the damaged meter. We have since been told that it has been thrown away."

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