A DISABLED man forced to use his knees to get up and down the stairs in his house after waiting months for a stair lift is to receive compensation from Rooftop Housing Group Ltd.

Matthew Mattocks, of Battleton Road in Evesham, suffers from complex regional pain syndrome in his right foot, which was crushed while he was loading a lorry three years ago.

In September last year he moved into the Rooftop House in Battleton Road with his wife and two children because it already had a multi level lift in it.

But after one month the lift broke down and since then Mr Mattocks has had too use crutches in the house to navigate the stairs or bump up and down them on his knees.

The 40-year-old was then told he would get a replacement stair lift but last week - after the family cleared the house ready for the installation - they discovered no one was coming to fit the lift and in fact they have to wait another year for the funding to afford the lift.

"I don't know what to do," he said. "They no longer manufacture the parts needed to repair it."

Since then a string of visits by repair men and an occupational therapist have taken place but when the day came for the stair lift installation to take place no one arrived.

"I phoned Rooftop and they basically said, it's not our problem," he said. "Now I have been told I have to apply to Wychavon for a stair lift. It then takes them 12 months to apply for the Disabled Facilities Grant.

"Using the crutches on the stairs is not good for my hips and shoulders, which is why I am supposed to use the wheel chair. Most of the time now I go up and down on my knees because it is safer.

"I can't take another year without this being fixed."

Rooftop Housing Group Ltd have since apologised for the situation.

A spokesman for the housing association said: "We always try to give the best possible service to our customers, but have let Mr and Mrs Mattocks down on this occasion.

"They should have been advised the works had been cancelled as we had not obtained the go ahead from the local authority who pay for such works.

"We will be offering compensation to Mr and Mrs Mattocks for the inconvenience they suffered by preparing work works that were not subsequently carried out."