Residents at a tower block in Southampton have resorted to heating their flat with their oven after being left without heating and hot water for more than 24 hours.

Residents at Oslo Tower in International Way have been unable to warm their homes since around 4am on Saturday morning, as temperatures plummeted below freezing in the city.

It is believed that all of the 104 flats in the tower are affected by the outage, which is reportedly not able to be fixed until office opening hours on Monday.

Amanda Harris, who has lived at Oslo Tower since September, said she was shocked nothing could be done by Southampton City Council or its contractor Corrigenda with temperatures as low as -2C on Saturday morning.

She said: “I was shocked when my husband said he couldn’t have a shower before work at around 4am.

“My job involves working nights and I came home at around 7am hoping to put the heating on and have a warm shower – I thought given how cold it was Corrigenda and the council would be making us a priority.

“We have been forced to try and heat our flat by putting the oven on and leaving the oven door open.

“Adding to the cold is that the windows in Oslo are very draughty.”

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The senior support worker, who lives at home with her husband and two teenage children, added that she and her family had been forced to stay in bed and pile on extra blankets as a way to keep warm.

It is understood that the council has provided heating units to residents who are considered vulnerable, but that nothing was done for the other residents.

In an email seen by the Echo, a councillor explained that contractor Corrigenda were not able to supply a part needed until Monday.

The councillor said that a report had been ordered asking why the parts could not be secure, and said it was not acceptable for a block to be without heating and hot water during winter.

The council and Corrigenda have been approached for comment.