A disabled widow has been left in tears and suffering sleepless nights after British Gas bombarded her with 38 bills – the last one for a staggering £105,000.

Maria Martin, 62, who suffers with crippling back pain, has lived in a one-bedroom flat in sheltered accommodation in Whitstable for three years.

The enormous demand has left her “worried sick”, but her calls to the company have drawn a blank.

She said: “I have never owed a penny in my life and I’m not even a British Gas customer.

“I pay £10 every month for my gas and water to Hyde Housing and I cannot understand why they are targeting me and now I am worried they will send the bailiffs in.”

Maltese-born Mrs Martin, whose husband died in 2008, used to live in Seasalter but moved into the Hyde managed flat at the Oysters in Westgate Terrace in 2010 when her own health began to suffer.

She said: “I have had 38 bills but the latest one for £104,948.80 really shook me.

“I don’t know what’s going on or how they got my name. I just don’t deserve to be made worried sick by it.”

British Gas spokesman Joanne Smalley said: “We are really sorry for the inconvenience that this has caused Mrs Martin.

“The Housing Association responsible for the communal meter had written to tell us that Mrs Martin was responsible for the usage on this account.

“I have never owed a penny in my life and I’m not even a British Gas customer" - Maria Martin

“It’s clear now that this was not correct.

"We’ve called Mrs Martin to reassure her that the bill does not belong to her, and will ensure that the correct name is now on the account.”

Hyde Housing spokesman David Boardman said: “Since becoming aware of this matter, we have been working closely with Mrs Martin and British Gas to resolve the situation.”

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