Grandmother ‘kidnaps’ washing machine repair man

Tracey Fox, 42, had survived three weeks without her washing machine, but barricaded herself against the door and refused to let the Currys engineer out of her home in Thornley, County Durham.

The grandmother of two said: “I’m not proud of my actions, but I felt there was no other option.

She bought the washing machine 10 months ago, and said she had requested an engineer five times.

After police were called, the situation was resolved and Currys have since offered her and her husband Terry, 44, a new washing machine.