An elderly man whose heavy front door has been replaced with an automatic design said it ‘feels like a new beginning’ after years of struggling to leave his building.

Peter Batchellier, 84, had been unable to use manual front door of John Kallie Court in Cowley without the help of his family out of fear it would swing back on him.

Housing association GreenSquareAccord has now installed an automatic door in the retirement housing block.

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Mr Batchellier said: “I feel relaxed, and you know if you want to go out then – weather permitting - you can go for a little stroll outside, and I have been able to speak to people at the front door. It’s like a new beginning.

“I have been doing little wanders up and down.”

Mr Batchellier, who has lived in the apartment block since 1994, had complained for years that the previous door was too heavy to use.

Activated by a button on the inside and a fob on the outside, the door required entrants to manually push and pull it open.

Oxford Mail: Peter Batchellier injured his back and damaged a rib as he fell while he tried to leave his

Mr Batchellier, who has an injured left arm and a walking stick after a fall two years ago, struggled with this and constantly worried it would swing back and hit him.

He said he felt trapped in his apartment and complained to his housing association.

The situation was worsened after a fall in early April while trying to open the door left Mr Batchellier with an injured back and a damaged rib.

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The housing association has now replaced the door with one that opens automatically, which Mr Batchellier can operate with a button or a hand-held fob.

It means he can now leave the building independently.

Remembering the first time he left by himself, he said: “I just went out onto the pavement and stood there and took a deep breath and looked round and thought ‘how lovely’.

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The new door also senses when someone is in the doorway – meaning it cannot close on Mr Batchellier as he walks through.

“If I am going through the door and get a puncture, then it wouldn’t hurt me,” he said.

A spokesperson from GreenSquareAccord said: “We are pleased to hear that Mr Batchellier is now able to use his front door with greater ease.

“The health and wellbeing of our customers is our top priority. As such, we are always keen to hear from our customers and we’ll act on their feedback where possible.

“While we carefully consider all requests for adaptations on an individual basis, as a non-for-profit organisation we cannot commit to replacing all the front doors at John Kallie Court without a clear need.”