A SHOCKED charity is refusing to pay a water bill that claims it racked-up more than £27,000 in just days days.

The Bowness and Windermere Community Care Trust has received a letter from United Utilities stating that £27,725 was owed for water usage between June 13-19.

That would mean the charity, which offers a luncheon club and coffee mornings for its users, would have had to have used 9,945 cubic metres of water during that time period, nearly 20 times more than its average monthly usage.

To make matters more confusing, the Care Trust, based on Phoenix Way, has evidence to prove it actually used less water than United Utilities' monthly estimation.

But Bill Smith, a local councillor who is heavily involved with the Care Trust, believes that the water company has simply miscalculated by reading the charity's usage as 10,160 cubic metres as opposed to 160.

United Utilities says it is sending a member of staff to take another metre reading.

Cllr Smith said: "If that bill was correct we would just have to close. The Bowness and Windermere Care Trust will not be paying this one!"