Boilers are breaking left, right and centre, according to Norwich's heating experts.

They are being rushed off their feet by calls of boiler breakdowns caused by everything from the cold to people not getting them serviced because of Covid.

John Perez, of Majestic Boiler Repairs Service, said: "We've had quite a lot of call outs already. The other day we had more than 30 calls for boilers breaking down."

He explained how the appliance can stop working: "Boilers can break just because of wear and tear or their age. But the most common reason for them breaking would be rust coming in from the radiators.

"There's also the lack of servicing. Boilers have not been a priority for people during lockdowns. We've seen a big increase in boiler work, installation, repairs and maintenance as people try to catch up."

Ollie Thurston, of Norwich Heating Engineer Ltd, said that he had also noted more calls about breakdowns: "There has definitely been an increase in boiler repair callouts.

"This time of year we get more last-minute callouts, generally because they're breaking.

"In the winter, there's a higher demand on the appliance and they're in use a lot more.

"We do look at boilers all year, but in summer it tends to be installation and servicing whereas in winter it's breakdowns and repairs."