Parents struggle with daughter’s treatment as sinkhole causes electricity loss in Sunderland street

A Sunderland family have been left furious after their electricity has cut-out numerous times due to the subsidence affecting a nearby property.
Chris Murphy with daughters Frankie and Connie, affected by the subsidence issues at their Broomshields Avenue home.Chris Murphy with daughters Frankie and Connie, affected by the subsidence issues at their Broomshields Avenue home.
Chris Murphy with daughters Frankie and Connie, affected by the subsidence issues at their Broomshields Avenue home.

Subsidence led to a semi-detached house on Broomshields Avenue, Sunderland, falling a foot into the ground in August.

Dozens of homes around the street have since been powered by a generator – but the electricity has repeatedly cut-out in recent weeks.

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On Monday, October 7, Northern Powergrid officers visited Broomshields Avenue to answer questions and reassure families that they do not expect any further “technical issues” for those living in the affected properties.

Chris Murphy with daughters Frankie and Connie.Chris Murphy with daughters Frankie and Connie.
Chris Murphy with daughters Frankie and Connie.

Ashleigh Murphy, 43, and her husband Chris Murphy, 42, live with their two daughters Frankie, 11, and Connie, 8 on the street.

Ashleigh said: “I deeply feel bad for the people across the road who have lost their house but the entire street and neighbouring streets have been hugely affected too.

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“I’ve got a disabled daughter so I need electricity for the lights to see to do her treatment. It means putting a stoma tube into her stomach to do her flush-outs but one night the electricity went off in the middle of doing her treatment which left us unable to see what we were doing so we had to stop the treatment which had a knock on effect to the following day when she couldn’t go to school.

Many properties on the street and surrounding streets to Broomshields Avenue have lost electricity.Many properties on the street and surrounding streets to Broomshields Avenue have lost electricity.
Many properties on the street and surrounding streets to Broomshields Avenue have lost electricity.

“I’ve logged a formal complaint to the Northern Power Grid and they gave us three flash-lights but that doesn’t help when my other daughter is frightened of the dark.”

A Northern Powergrid spokesperson said: "We're making arrangements to have a replacement cable fitted along a new route; however this will take some time as we need to arrange the necessary agreements with landowners, with discussions ongoing.”

"We would like to thank everyone affected by the recent issues and reassure them that we will do everything possible to replace the electricity cable as quickly as we can."