A WAR veteran from Padiham who had his leg amputated nearly seven months ago claims he has been left a virtual prisoner in his own home.

Eighty-year-old great-grandfather Ernie Moore has blasted county council bosses after he was left waiting since the start of September for a step lift at his bungalow.

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The former army PT instructor said his problems began when he went to the urgent care centre at Burnley General Hospital with problems with his foot.

He claims he was sent home with cream for athlete's foot but when he returned to have blisters treated the next day, a nurse couldn't find a pulse in his leg.

An operation to remove his left leg took place that night at the Royal Blackburn Hospital and Ernie remained on a ward for three months as he battled a C-Difficile infection.

Mr Moore, who has 25 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren, said: "The occupational therapist and social services knew about this access problem when I came out of hospital. I've been trapped here.

"I had to sell our two-year-old car, it only had 11,000 miles on the clock, and buy an automatic. It's been sat there as I can't get out."

When he was discharged, Mr Moore said he was informed by an occupational therapist that an ambulance would take him to his door and he would be carried into his bungalow.

But he had grave reservations.

He said: "I said 'hang on a minute, you will be carrying me into a house which I feel is a death trap as I can't get out of the back or front'.

"I'm not going to sit in a house under conditions that I can't get out. I said it could be a fire or gas risk. My wife is 76 and she can't drag me out.

"I was told they had arranged everything. They said, if you're prepared to go home for three weeks we'll put a ramp in. I came home and I'm still waiting almost five months later."

He has been told the estimated cost to install the step lift is £21,960 and another £4,000 is needed so he can enter and leave the bungalow's back garden.

Mr Moore is currently waiting for Lancashire County Council to carry out the work - and fears it could still take engineers several more months to respond.

Eighteen months before he developed vascular problems, Mr Moore said he had been going to his gym and swimming pool three times a week.

He also danced regularly with wife Barbara, 76, at Padiham Town Hall and St Philip's Church.

The couple have also been devastated to discover that they do not qualify for a carer's allowance, by just four pence a week.

Mr Moore said: "We put in for care allowance, because I need help getting in the bath. The care allowance is £62.10p per week. Mrs Moore's pension is £249 a month so it works out at £62.14p a week so we don't quality by 4p."

Mrs Moore, a former shop assistant who married the fellow widow more than two years ago after they met at a dance, said: "It's terrible. It gets him down and gets him depressed. There's nothing I can do.

"I try to keep him cheerful but there's not much you can do if you can't get out. He used to swim like a fish and was as fit as a flea. Now he's just stuck here."

A Lancashire County Council spokesman said: "We received the referral for this work on January 24 and are working with relevant parties to progress recommendations for adaptations to Mr Moore's home."