Milton Keynes vicar goes viral on social media after complaining her church was too cold

A warm-hearted vicar took social media by storm when poor service from a fuel company caused her church to become too chilly.

The Rev Gill Barrow-Jones had spent three weeks trying to get a delivery of oil to heat St George the Martyr Church in Wolverton.

But the oil never arrived and the historic church became colder and colder.

"It's a Grade II star listed building and it was absolutely freezing. People needed to wear hats and gloves," said Gill.

"The worst thing was when we had a funeral. It's not a nice time for people anyway, without making them shiver with cold through the service."

By last week Gill reached the end of her tether and posted a photo of herself on the church Facebook page, holding up a notice explaining the effect the lack of heating was having on her parishioners.

It read: "Funeral family - COLD, Sunday worshippers - COLD, town band rehearsal - COLD, Ash Wednesday Penitents - COLD, Bishop of Buckingham - COLD?'

The final question mark was because the Bishop, the Rt Rev Dr Alan Wilson, was booked to visit the church on Sunday to ordain its new assistant Minister Chibuzor Okpala, known as Chi.

Gill's Facebook post named and shamed the oil company, Watson Fuels in Northampton.

It stated: "14 phone calls and 10 hours on hold, I still have a cold church. For over three weeks I have been asking Watson Fuels to bring the oil we need to heat our church. They don’t seem to care. I’m at my wits end; I feel embarrassed.

"When I think about the family at the funeral I officiated in the freezing cold it makes me want to cry.

"As a vicar it’s hard to point the finger and lay blame, but I hold Watson's responsible. The Bishop is visiting this Sunday, will he be cold too?

"I want the people of Wolverton and our community for whom the church is theirs to hold Watson's to account by sharing this shameful story on their social media. I’m at my wits end, Watson Fuels."

The post went viral with more than 8,000 views. And Gill said a director of Watson's Fuels contacted her personally and was "very apologetic".

But within hours another oil company, Bedford Fuels, came to the rescue and rushed through a special delivery of oil.

A delighted Gill posted a photo on Sunday of Bishop and Chi looking warm and happy with parishioners at the service.

She wrote: "Community love got the church warm! An enormous thanks to everyone who rallied to share our post about oil delivery problems.

"Special thanks to Bedford Fuels Ltd and to everyone who shared the last post - it was down to you that a director from Watson Fuels saw the post and got in touch with us too. Community love at it's best! And a wonderfully warm way to welcome Chi as our Associate Priest."

The Citizen spent much of yesterday (Monday) attempting to contact Watson Fuels by phone and email to give them a chance to tell their side of the story.

We were promised somebody from the company would call back but so far have heard nothing.