Woman locked repairman with washer

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THORNLEY, England, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- A British woman said she barricaded a repairman in the room with her broken washing machine because she felt there was "no other option."

Tracey Fox, 42, said the Jan. 13 incident at her Thornley, England, home came after she purchased the washing machine 10 months ago and requested a repairman from electrical retailer Currys five times after it ceased working in December, The Daily Telegraph reported Monday.

"It broke early December, but they told me that I would have to wait until after Christmas," Fox said. "When the man came round on the 13th … the machine still wasn't working, and I asked when he would fix the other problems."

"He said that I'd have to pay for any repairs, even though the machine was still under warranty, and I might as well get a new one because the amount it would cost to fix it would be the same as buying another one," she said.

Fox said she used her body to brace the laundry room door shut and told the worker that she would not let him out until the appliance was fixed. The man called police and Fox said she allowed him to leave.

Fox, who is not facing any criminal charges, said Currys has since offered her a replacement washing machine.

"I'm not proud of my actions, but I felt there was no other option," she said. "It sounds stupid thinking about it now, but it was the final straw."