23 December 2010 Last updated at 06:11

10,000 frozen pipe calls as bitter snap continues

Frozen pipes are affecting water supplies and causing heating systems to fail

The NI Housing Executive has dealt with 10,000 calls from tenants as sub-zero temperatures led to frozen pipes and broken heating systems.

A spokesman said contractors were working hard and asked tenants to report only emergencies over the holidays.

Operations are returning to normal at Northern Ireland's airports. Translink has said conditions on the main roads are improving.

More snow is forecast for 26 December.

On Wednesday evening, police issued a warning that severe black ice was making driving treacherous on Northern Ireland's M2 motorway.

A Roads Service lorry had broken down and salting was delayed. The motorway was salted later and was due to be resalted overnight.

Among the thousands of people affected by the freezing temperatures is Paula Murray from Belfast's Short Strand area.

Paula Murray is spending her third night without central heating

Wednesday night was her third night without central heating.

Her boiler broke down on Monday evening after the pipe which leads from her oil tank to her boiler froze solid.

"I phoned on Tuesday morning and an engineer came out at 5.45pm," she said.

"He said he couldn't fix anything until daylight and someone would be out again. But it is now 8.30pm and no-one has been out yet."

The Housing Executive said it had been dealing with an "unprecedented" number of calls. It said additional resources were being used to sort out problems with heating systems and with water services.