ELDERLY residents in sheltered housing in Tadcaster are living in half-completed rooms, as renovations which were supposed to take a few weeks remain unfinished months later.

The belongings of Joyce Mobbs, 81, are being kept in boxes in her bedroom while she waits for a refit of her bungalow in Firtree Crescent to be completed.

Her cooker is still waiting to be installed and her new bathroom is only half-finished - despite assurances from Selby District Council that the work would take three weeks.

Mrs Mobbs said: "I've been feeling very stressed.

"I was originally given a date of February 10 and had arranged to stay with one of my daughters in Devon, but then it was put back."

Work eventually started on April 30, but is still not finished.

"When the builders say they are coming, I have to get up early to make sure I am ready, but often they don't turn up."

Her 92-year-old neighbour, Margaret Bleasby, has had workmen in her house since January.

"There are empty bungalows," she said. "I don't understand why they didn't move us."

The renovations are phase one of Selby District Council's "decent homes" programme to bring council properties up to Government standards by 2010.

Work costing £1.2 million and covering 115 homes in Firtree Crescent, Beechtree Way, Ashtree Walk and Woodlands View, Tadcaster, was supposed to begin last November and take place progressively until July.

Residents were given the option of taking part in the scheme, which will result in higher rents when completed.

Phase two of the project, covering Woodville Terrace in Selby, plus properties in the surrounding villages, has already begun, but is also behind schedule.

Terry Crossland, the council's property development manager, admitted the situation was "a little bit embarrassing" and blamed the initial delays on Transco. Mr Crossland said the council had consulted all tenants before making the decision to keep them in their homes during renovations.

"The work is to try and improve the quality of life for the tenants and it is unfortunate that there have been delays," he said.

"In any job like this, the ones who go first do suffer the teething problems."

Local councillor Don Bain-Mackay said: "The inconvenience that has been caused to the tenants is unbelievable. It is just poor organisation and co-ordination, from the top to the bottom. It is an absolute shambles."

Transco were unavailable to comment.

Updated: 12:02 Tuesday, May 27, 2003