Stairs plunge terror of lift battle family HELE

A DAD has spoken of his horror after his disabled daughter fell being carried upstairs following years of fighting to have a home lift installed.

-  MAISIE LAWTON

Andy Blueman, 49, from Stockport, applied for a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) which can be provided by a local authority to help with the cost of home accessibility adaptations. He chose this support to fund a lift for his daughter, Jasmine, six, who suffers from complex disabilities.

But the support he hoped to receive turned into a 'nightmare, he claims - as two years later Andy continued to fight to get the lift funded and installed.

This meant for Jasmine to access her bedroom and bathroom, she had to be carried up and down stairs - an unsafe method for the family which caused a 'frightening' incident.

Andy, an airfield operations manager at Manchester Airport, said: "Jasmine has Global Motor Delay, similar to cerebral palsy and is non-verbal and non-mobile. Plus like any child, she's having growth spurts and is getting heavier."

He added: "But Jasmine loves being around her family, playing with sensory toys, going swimming and getting out into the garden.

"We were determined she could have access to these things and each room in the house to live as normal childhood as possible.