'It's not safe... it's scaring life out of me'

Mum's sense of dread over unreliable state of lifts in block of flats

- BY DECLAN CAREY Local Democracy Reporter

FOR a Stockport mum, a simple walk to the shop has become a terrifying ordeal.

Jayne Warner brought home her newborn son three weeks ago, but she never imagined the fear she would feel in her own flat.

She lives in an 11th-floor property in Pendlebury Tower on the Lancashire Hill estate, which is managed by Stockport Homes, with her children aged nine, six, two, and ten weeks.

Her 10-week son was born with ‘complex’ medical needs, including a cleft palate, and has a tube in his nose to help with breathing.

But in the family’s apartment building, Jayne says the lifts keep breaking down, leaving her constantly on edge.

The 32-year-old mum is worried that they could end up trapped inside a broken lift, or struggle to get help in their flat in an emergency if the lifts don’t work.

It has left her frightened to leave the home in fear of what could happen.

“It’s scaring the life out of me,” she said. “He came home three weeks ago, if something happens, how is anyone going to save him?

“It's not safe for us here now. I’m scared of going out some days in case I can’t get back in my flat, or if the lift breaks and we get stuck.”

She says the lifts are breaking ‘weekly or sometimes daily’ in the tower block, and that the issue has been going on for some time.

Stockport Homes said it is doing everything it can to help Jayne and her family move to a more suitable home as quickly as possible.

“Her application has been properly assessed, and we're in active contact to explore every available option for her circumstance - including mutual exchange,” a Stockport Homes spokesperson said.

“Sadly, this isn’t a challenge unique to Stockport. Across the country, demand for accessible and family-sized social housing far outstrips supply - especially for households with more complex needs.”