Cowboy builders left a 76-year-old woman with an uninsured leaking porch.

Thelma Townsend was left with the dodgy £1,600 porch in her home in Apeldoorn Drive, Wallington, by builders in 2009 that then went bust.

When she tried to get the problems fixed under insurance, it emerged she had been sold the incorrect insurance package and was not covered.

Now her neighbour has stepped in to appeal for a kind-hearted builder to come and fix the problem for free.

Ian Pike, 46, said: “I am no Melinda Messenger [from TV show Cowboy Builders] but I hope someone will have the goodwill to do a couple of hundred pounds-worth of work for free.

“If Thelma could she would pay for it herself.”

If you can help email ian pike44@ hotmail.com.