Top of page
Accessibility

Disabled man trapped in his house

Close-up view of a wheelchair

A disabled man who weighs almost 30 stone, says he has gone into a ‘deep state of anxiety and despair’ after a housing company refused to fit a bigger door so he can get out. Darren Burns, 48, fears that if a fire were to break out, he could become trapped, after the housing association refused to make the back door to his garden bigger. Darren is obese because a lifelong hip disorder has reduced his mobility.

He was also diagnosed with arthritis at the age of 13, and his condition deteriorated after he was involved in a car crash two-and-a-half years ago, leaving him wheelchair-bound. Darren says that being unable to go to his garden, has made his life a misery and that he feels like a prisoner in his own home. He moved into the property in March last year after being made homeless.

To accommodate his needs, Lincolnshire Housing Partnership (LHP), which owns the property, widened the front and interior doors. However, the back door, remains inaccessible for Darren, meaning he cannot go and sit in his garden.

You might also like

Woman pushing beach wheelchair Woman pushing beach wheelchair

Volunteers needed to make beaches accessible

Holdfast Bay Council is calling for volunteers to help make…

young blind woman with headphone using computer with refreshable braille display young blind woman with headphone using computer with refreshable braille display

Consultation to begin in Australia for Banking Accessibility Standards review

The Australian Banking Association (ABA) has engaged the Australian Network…

Assistant helping disabled woman in wheelchair move around city Assistant helping disabled woman in wheelchair move around city

TMF starts accepting applications for Mobility for ALL contest

Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) started accepting applications for this year…

A woman in a wheelchair walks with her sister on a wooden pier by the sea A woman in a wheelchair walks with her sister on a wooden pier by the sea

New guide helps NSW businesses to increase accessible tourism

Destination NSW has created a new resource through its NSW…