TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp has sparked controversy after suggesting that victims of the Christmas storms were "spoilt" for getting compensation for going without power for days.
The Location, Location, Location and Kirstie's Homemade Christmas presenter, 42, bemoaned what she called a lack of "Blitz spirit".
Her comments, in which she said that billions of people around the world get by with "limited electricity", came as many faced yet another day without power on Monday, a week after they were cut off, despite claims by engineers the last homes had been reconnected.
Tens of thousands of homes across the south east of England, north Wales and Cumbria were left without electricity because of damage caused by the storms.
Allsopp tweeted that she was "in rant mode" and told her 331,000 followers: "What on Earth has happened to Blitz spirit? Billions of people get by with very limited electricity #SpoiltUK."
She added: "Storm winds blow, trees come down, electricity goes off, it's not much fun, need to make contingency plans, why does this mean compensation?"
Her comments ignited controversy on Twitter, with one person writing: "Something tells me you were not affected?" while another added: "Quite right @KirstieMAllsopp, people are just spoilt. They'll feel entitled to shelter, food and water next!"
Another joked about the Handmade Britain presenter: "On the bright side, these floods will help give that fabulous distressed look to furniture. #kirstyantoinette"
One Twitter useradded: "I'm no expert, but I haven't noticed us being at war with Germany, or you know, an actual Blitz happening."
Another replied to Allsopp, whose father Lord Hindlip, was a chairman of Christie's: "So say you via Twitter...doing that without electricity are you?!" to which Allsopp replied: "Point is if I couldn't tweet because of a storm I wouldn't be seeking compensation, things happen, less whinging more doing."
Energy companies have been criticised for their slow reaction to storm damage.
Basil Scarsella, chief executive of UK Power Networks, one of the UK's biggest power distributors, said it will increase payments for 48 to 60-hour outages from £27 to £75 for those affected on Christmas Day as "a gesture of goodwill".
Additional payments will be made to customers who have been without electricity for longer than that time - up to a maximum of £432.
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