Hundreds of homeowners who had solar panels fitted under the UK Government's Green Deal say they were mis-sold improvements by an approved Scottish firm.

A new cross-party group has formed to discuss problems experienced by customers of Cambuslang-based company Home Energy Lifestyle Management (HELMS).

HELMS completed more than 3000 Green Deals, but after the firm was fined £200,000 for cold calling it went into liquidation.

The promise of the Green Deal was to save electricity but residents found their bills rising instead, with some people now locked into 25-year finance deals.

STV tried to contact director Robert Skillen, but his solicitor said he was living and working abroad.

Irene Harris who was affected by the deal is part of Ayrshire-based HELMS Action Group who is campaigning against the firm.

She said: "The stress has been unbelievable. You're up through the night, you don't sleep because you're worried about it.

"I've actually come in a few times and thought 'I don't want to be here'.

"It's not like my house anymore, it's just a worry."

MSP for Rutherglen, Clare Haughey, is calling on the UK Government to wipe her residents' debts and tighten regulations to ensure this does not happen again.

She said: "I was first contacted by constituents in late 2016 with concerns about the UK Government's Green Deal and in particular solar panels that they'd had installed in their roof.

"It became apparent quite quickly that this wasn't an isolated problem.

"When people had these solar panels installed their understanding was that not only were they being more environmentally friendly by producing their own electricity, but that their own electricity bills would go down.

"Unfortunately for a lot of my constituents their electricity bills went up, and in some cases, actually trebled."

She continued: "I want the UK Government to step up to the plate - I want them to get rid of the debt that my constituents have.

"But I also want them to tighten up the regulations and ensure that this doesn't happen to anyone else in the future."