Cost of living: 'I don't want to end up a statistic'

A County Armagh woman who suffers from a rare health condition said she was frightened of "dying this winter from the cold and becoming another statistic".

Susan Mathews, 66, lives with a disorder which affects her mobility and means she feels extremely cold all year round.

The former nurse relies on a motorised wheelchair to move within her home.

In addition to oil-fired heating, she uses electric blankets to stay warm.

Speaking to BBC News NI, Ms Mathews said she felt frightened by the cold because she knows she can't survive it.

"I'm afraid I will be one of the people this winter is going to kill - I will be someone who is going to die in the cold and alone," she said.

20 September 2022