A RESIDENT whose wife has a severe respiratory disease has been left waiting eight months for a crumbling ramp to be fixed outside his home – because of a council “computer error”.

Arthur Allen, who also has a disabled daughter, has contacted Oxford City Council at least four times since last December asking for it to be repaired, but nothing has been done.

Now, following a call from the Oxford Mail, the council has apologised to Mr Allen, blaming the problem on an unspecified computer error. And it has promised to fix the ramp as soon as possible.

Mr Allen, 51, of Spencer Crescent, Rose Hill, who has lived at the home for 20 years, had the ramp fitted when he first moved in as his daughter, Mary Jane Allen, now 27, has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair.

He said the ramp is crumbling and has holes in it and needs to be taken down and rebuilt.

His daughter moved out three years ago but visits regularly.

Eleven years ago his wife, Linda, 60, was diagnosed with chronic obstructive airways disease. Her condition has worsened in the last year and since last month she has had to carry a permanent supply of oxygen with her in a trolley.

Mr Allen, who gave up work to look after his wife, said: “I’ve called the city council four times to have it repaired as it has fallen into a state of disrepair but it won’t do anything about it.

“My wife has to be careful on the ramp because she has to carry oxygen on a trolley.

“The council said it would deal with it last December but couldn’t do anything because of the weather. It said it would be sorted when the weather got better but it hasn’t been fixed.”

Mr Allen said: “My wife has gone out and tripped up on the ramp. I want to do something because I am fearful of my wife going out of the door and falling on her face and no one being there to help to her.”

Mr Allen also lives at home with his grandson, Joseph Brooker, 16. He has one daughter, four step-children and 14 grandchildren.

An Oxford City Council spokesman said: “We would like to sincerely apologise to Mr Allen and his family for any inconvenience caused.

“We received a request last December for repairs to be carried out to the ramp outside this property.

“Unfortunately, due to a computer error, the work did not take place. We have contacted Mr Allen to arrange for these repairs to be undertaken as soon as possible.”

The city council could not specify what the computer error was.

Mr Allen thanked the Oxford Mail for its intervention and in helping “to get things moving”.