Elderly feel 'trapped' in Oxford flats by broken lift

The lift in the Fry's Court extra-care building in Blackbird Leys is relied upon by 23 residents, many of whom have mobility issues and are unable to use the stairs.

It was out of service since February 20 while housing association Green Square Accord waited for parts.

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Denise French, 68, has a loose crown and exposed roots in her teeth but has been forced to postpone a dental appointment because of the issue.

She also has end stage Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease – which causes breathing difficulties – and is unable to get downstairs without help.

The lift has been out of service since February 20 (Image: Public)

She said: “I’m not getting outside and I’m not getting fresh air. It has impacted my mental health more than anything. I have been so stressed and upset.”

Last week, she visited the theatre with her daughter but had to be helped up and down the stairs.

Ms French said: “My daughter had to take me to the stairs in my wheelchair and I went down by the handrail one step at a time.

“Getting up the stairs after the theatre was very dangerous because my daughter had to improvise with my perching stool from my kitchen.

“It’s got extendable legs so she made two short and two long and put it on the stairs – so I could get up one stair then sit down. If I had lost my balance I could have just fallen.”

Ms French has phoned both Green Square Accord and the lift operator Temple Lifts but has received no “concrete answers” on when it will be fixed.

She said: “I have phoned them, and I have ranted and raved. I got very angry and very tearful that we’re trapped like this.”

On the floor above Ms French lives a 78-year woman, who has asked not to be named, who has let rubbish pile by her door because she cannot get downstairs.

The woman, who suffers from lung cancer, said: “I’m usually a very placid person but I’m cross and frustrated. I just want what’s left in my life to be peaceful.”

She recently missed the funeral of her friend – whose coffin was driven on the back of a lorry in front of the building before the ceremony.

She said: “It was a beautiful day and a chance for his friends to say goodbye, but we couldn’t get down to see that. That was really upsetting.”

A spokesman from Green Square Accord said: "We are truly sorry for the inconvenience and distress that the out-of-service lift at Fry’s Court has caused.

"We have been aware of the issue since Monday February 20 but had to wait for parts to arrive before we could fix the lift.

"The delay to the repair was caused by supply chain issues beyond our control. We can confirm the lift at Fry’s Court is now operational."