The Evening Advertiser stepped in to help a pensioner after a major electrical company revealed that it had gone into receivership.

Powerhouse, the UK's third biggest electrical retailer, which has three stores in Swindon, announced that 813 jobs nationwide are to be lost.

And 93 of its 223 stores will close on Friday, August 29, although the company has not disclosed which stores they will be.

The news left 65-year-old Mary Robinson, of Dulverton Avenue, Park North, devastated.

Mary, who suffers from Crohn's Disease, a digestive illness, bought a cooker for £210, which included the fitter's fee, from Powerhouse on Saturday but was told by the firm that a fitter would not come out as they are not paying the staff contracted to do the work.

Mary, whose condition warrants a specially cooked diet, was close to tears when the oven was left wrapped up in the middle of her kitchen.

So the Evening Advertiser asked Mark Lewis Gas, Plumbing and Heating, of Stone Lane, in Swindon, to fit it for her and he readily agreed.

She said: "My daughter-in-law comes over and cooks a special diet for me which is vital because of my illness.

"I also have a pulmonary embolism and this was doing me no good at all.

"I am so grateful to the Advertiser and to Mark Lewis."

Mark, 41, who has owned his Corgi registered business for 15 years, stepped into the breach and fitted the oven free a job that would normally cost up to £80.

He said: "I was quite surprised by the Powerhouse news and sorry to hear of Mary's predicament.

"She needed an oven for her special diet and I was happy to step in and fit it up for her."

Powerhouse was yesterday diverting all inquiries to administrators Deloitte and Touche, who are trying to find a buyer for the firm but if this is unsuccessful it will be forced to shut down.

They could not confirm how many Powerhouse employees are in Swindon stores, based in the Brunel Plaza, Greenbridge Retail Park and the Orbital Shopping Park, or whether these jobs are at stake.

Nick Dargan, partner at Deloitte and Touche, said that 130 stores would continue to trade following next week's closure of 93 stores.

He said that 613 redundancies would be from superstores and 202 from high street shops.

Last year Powerhouse profits fell to £300,000 on a turnover of £398.6m.

Emma Thorogood, spokeswoman for Deloitte and Touche, said: "Customers should be able to receive information on appliance fitting service from customers services managers within the Powerhouse shops.

"Any goods paid for when a company is in placed in administration will be protected under the rules of administration. We can't comment on individual cases yet as it is just day two. More information will be known in the next few days."

Call Powerhouse Customer Services on 01869 329 450 or Powerhouse Delivery Bureau on 01922 707 954.

Call Mark Lewis on 01793 770177, or 07850 463666.