Plumber James Anderson fixes pipes and boilers for vulnerable customers free of charge He set up the company in 2017 to help out those in need

Can he fix it? Yes he can. But Mr Anderson is a plumber with a difference: he fixes pipes and boilers for vulnerable customers free of charge.

That really is special.

Mr Anderson, 52, a father-of-six from Burnley shut down his private firm and launched his not-for-profit company Depher after seeing an elderly man poorly treated by another engineer.

The company works across Lancashire and has been offering free or lower-cost plumbing to those in need since 2017.

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How did this good news story get out?

His acts of kindness went viral after a picture of his bill for £0 sent to a 91-year-old woman with acute leukemia was posted online.

The receipt for the boiler repair was accompanied by a note reading: “No charge for this lady under any circumstances. We will be available 24 hours to help her and keep her as comfortable as possible.”

Speaking about the positive public reaction, Mr Anderson told the PA news agency: “We didn’t expect it. It’s been everywhere.”

How does he fund Depher?

He works hard to raise funds using crowdfunding and donations, however his switch to not-for-profit work has seen him accrue debts of around £8000. He insists the shortfall is under control. He also some paid work to survive. “A lot of people close to me ask: why are you getting yourself in to debt? Why are you doing this?

“To me, debt is debt… I would rather owe some money to somebody and another person be alive and happy and safe. It’s an ethos that’s in my heart and it will always stay there.”

If only more people were like him.

True. But failing that, Mr Anderson, who is originally from Liverpool, is hoping to roll out the service across the country. “I’ve spoken to quite a few engineers around the country and they’re all for it… it’s just getting the funding,” he said.

He sounds determined.

He is.”I don’t want any person who is elderly and disabled in this country, in this day and age, to die or suffer because of a cold home or a lack of funding to repair the boiler,” he said.

“It shouldn’t be happening – that number should be down to zero. Simple as that.”