When Sheryl Forman's washing machine broke down, she didn't think she'd be waiting for an engineer to get it back in action nearly three months later.

The 23-year-old, of Page Road, Clacton, bought the machine from the town's Powerhouse store last February.

A year's warranty came with the purchase, so she didn't think there would be too many problems when it came to getting it repaired after it broke down in December.

But it turned out it was the start of a saga which still hasn't come to a conclusion.

"I have to deal with a company called Servis UK because Powerhouse went into liquidation," explained Ms Forman.

"Because of that, I can only get it repaired.

"I phoned Servis at the beginning of December and was told that someone would come out on December 18.

"Nobody came, so I called to complain and was told that I'd hear back within seven to ten working days."

Ms Forman, mother of McKenzie, two, and Shelby, one, said she made repeated calls after the engineer failed to arrive. Eventually a Servis UK representative called at her house in mid-January.

"He took the machine to bits in my kitchen then said he had the wrong part and left. The machine is still in pieces.

A Servis UK spokesman said the company's engineer had tried to contact Ms Forman.

She said: "The call was originally booked for December 19 - the engineer tried to contact the customer on numerousoccasions to rebook. Failing to get though to the customer by phone, he then sent her a letter askingher to call him.

"We advised the customer of this on December 27 and the engineer closed the job down after a time due to no response from the customer."

She said a new appointment was arranged for January 8.

"The engineer went out and found the machine needed parts which are in stock and were despatched to the engineer last Wednesday," she said.

"They will call the customeron arrival of the parts to rebook herin to fit them. This is being followed up by the operations manager to ensure this is done."