Pensioner's lift ordeal (From Stroud News and Journal)

Pensioner's lift ordeal

THREE pensioners, a young mum and a child were stuck in a hot Stroud lift for half an hour on Friday.

When they raised the alarm they were staggered to learn the emergency rescue team was based in Leicester.

The women called for help on the intercom when they were trapped in the Merrywalks elevator at 12.55pm.

But a spokesman on the line told them he was in Leicester and it would have to find someone in Stroud to deal with the problem. Pensioner Tina Beckingham from the Top of Town said she could hardly believe her ears.

"It was absolutely shocking," she said. "There should be an intercom connected to somewhere in Stroud.

"Why doesn't the call go to the fire station? "They would get there much quicker."

Mrs Beckingham always uses the lift because she finds it difficult to walk after a leg operation last year.

The stairs were slippery from rain on Friday and she was joined in the lift by two older women, a young woman and a four-year-old boy.

Mrs Beckingham said the youngster became upset when the lift stopped. "He was scared because he couldn't get out," she said.

"We were all hot and sweating. It was a very nasty experience." It was 30 minutes before the group was rescued.

The women were told the lift had overheated because children on school holidays had been pressing the bell too much. Mrs Beckingham has now vowed never to use it alone.

A second lift has been out of service for three months but is unlikely to be repaired because of plans to turn the bus station into a cinema.

Merrywalks duty manager Ian Skien, who rescued the party, said the lifts are serviced by the Otis elevator company. There is sometimes a five to ten minute delay before requests for help are passed on to Stroud, he said, because the call centre taking them is so busy.

Mrs Beckingham's rescue was delayed further because manager John Bonello was on holiday and the Stroud office was not manned between 10am and 4.30pm.

Mr Skien was at home in Cashes Green when was called at 1.10pm.