AN energy company has asked customers left without power over Christmas to get in touch about compensation.

Scottish and Southern Electric Power Distribution (SSE) says it has now restored power to 130,000 UK homes hit by power cuts over the festive period — including 1,400 in Oxfordshire affected for several days. In a statement it has acknowledged that compensation payments need to reflect that people were left without power at “a very important time of the year”.

Householders in up to 400 properties in the Kidlington area were yesterday hit by power cuts. Among those affected were staff and customers at Sainsbury’s in Kidlington, where four power failures forced the store to close.

SSE said it would look at claims on a case-by-case basis but said anyone left without power for more than 48 hours should write to customer relations, SSEPD Walton Park, Walton Road, Portsmouth PO6 1UJ or email customer.relations.england@sse.com

One Oxfordshire flood warning remained in place yesterday. Residents were told to expect flooding along the Thames from Shiplake to Henley. A number of waterways, including the Thames in Oxford, remain on flood alert. In Abingdon the river broke its banks and flooded the towpath.