Man given months to live 'trapped on 10th floor of tower block with broken lift'
A man who has been given just months to live due to aggressive form of cancer says he is "trapped" in his flat thanks to a broken lift.
Neil Barnes' cancer started in his bowel before spreading to his liver, lungs, and then spine. The retired engineer, 69, lives on the tenth floor of a tower block in Cardiff, Wales. Last month, the lift at the Roma complex at Victoria Wharf, in Watkiss Way, broke down.
Due to his health problems, it takes Mr Barnes almost half an hour to climb the 162 steps to his home as he has to stop at each landing area on the way. The ordeal leaves him in "agony", particularly with the cancer having spread to his spine - leading him to stop leaving his flat altogether, except just once recently because he had an important health appointment.
Neil has been told he has less than a year to live (Media Wales)He told WalesOnline: "It's claustrophobic, it feels like Covid again with the lockdowns. It's tough on your wellbeing, but I've also got lots of appointments and things to sort out, with the hospice for example, which I've had to cancel.
"The engineer got called out and said he'd come back the next day but it then transpired that the lift needed a part which is in Germany and wouldn't arrive for more than a week. It's been 10 days and we're in the same position and I haven't left other than for an appointment and that was excruciating. I've had problems with my back for a while but I've now been told it's because the cancer has spread to my spine. It means it's agony for me to climb the 162 steps."
London flat for rent for £1,400 a month with bed tucked away in kitchen cupboard
First Port, a property management company which runs the building, said it had ordered the part shortly after the lift broke on November 21, but it is manufactured outside the UK, which has led to a delay in deliveries Mr Barnes said: “It’s a 12-storey building and there are many people in this building who are disabled and need access to a lift. My wife, who is 66, has had to go out and get the shopping without me and she had to lug it up the stairs completely on her own."
Walking up the stairs leaves Neil in agony (Media Wales)He claimed that when he asked staff at Victoria Wharf to help they said they couldn't. "We’ve asked staff on site to help and they’ve said no-one was available to assist us because they're not trained in that way.
"All we asked was if they could carry a fold-up chair up the stairs for me. Considering we pay a £4,000 annual maintenance fee, I’d have thought that the least they could do was help us up the stairs.”
Mr Barnes, who has lived in the flat for 11 years, described how on returning from his cancer treatment this week his wife had to carry the fold-up chair with her beside him and he stopped on each landing for a rest. He added: “Luckily we got a neighbour to help us too.
“But it’s not good at all. I don’t think they have a log or realise the number of people who have disabilities in this building. There should at the very least be more support so people don't feel locked in their apartments."
Neil said lots of the people in the complex have disabilities (Media Wales)A spokesman for First Port said: "We fully understand the difficulties a lift outage can pose. We have issued regular updates to residents throughout, and our team will continue to do all they can to support those who require help.
"Since the breakdown of the lift, we have explored all possible options to restore the lift, including temporary solutions. Unfortunately, the lift requires a replacement part, which is also a vital safety component, meaning a temporary solution has not been possible.
“Although the replacement part was ordered on the day the breakdown occurred, the required part is manufactured outside of the UK, which has delayed the necessary repairs. We understand the replacement part has now been dispatched and engineers are on standby to complete the repairs as soon as the part arrives, in the coming days."
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]
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