By Conor Sharkey

STRABANE is a town in crisis.

More families than ever before are struggling to pay their fuel bills, figures just released by the Strabane branch of St Vincent de Paul show.

Over the Christmas period, the charity spent over £20,000 on home heating oil for those in the grip of fuel poverty. And, according to volunteers, the aid distributed may only have scratched the surface in terms of the scale of the problem.

Many householders are likely to have suffered in silence rather than accept the hand of charity.

As the recent icy spell subsided on Monday, community leaders gathered at Fountain Street Community Centre for emergency talks with St Vincent de Paul representatives on the growing fuel poverty crisis.

Among those spearheading the campaign for a long-term solution to the spiralling fuel issue is community head Paul Gallagher.

He said it was time people put their pride to one side and sought help with fuel costs if necessary. Anyone feeling the pinch should get in contact with their local community centre immediately where help will be made available, Mr Gallagher urged.

"I'd say to those who are finding themselves in difficulty, get into the community centres and we'll take things forward for them.

"A lot of people are suffering behind closed doors because of pride. They're setting themselves up with blankets because they have no oil. There definitely is a crisis at present and this new initiative between the groups will get to the people in need," he said.

This has been echoed by fuel company Miller Bros which, despite being in business, is doing all its can to help its customers.

One person who knows all too well the effects of fuel poverty is 70-year-old Joe Moore. A pensioner and recovering alcoholic, Joe's Inisfree Gardens home has neither oil heating nor radiators. He survives by huddling up to his two bar electric heater.