Housing chiefs have agreed to install a shower for a pensioner after she suffered five months of hardship and her plight was highlighted in the Telegraph & Argus.

Margaret Harrison, 82, is no longer able to get into a bath because of worsening health. Now she is to get a new walk-in shower at her home in Hendford Drive, Barkerend.

The good news comes after Bradford Council told her initially it could not be installed and that she should move from her home of 20 years to another house which had a shower.

Mrs Harrison applied to Bradford Council for a shower on the advice of her occupational therapist last year.

She refused to move and insisted the Council should give her the help to which she was entitled.

The authority had stopped doing any major work or modifications in properties last October before it transferred them to Bradford Community Housing Trust last month.

But today Geraldine Howley, chief executive of BCHT group, said: "I am delighted that we can now work on Mrs Harrison's shower and many other major adaptations for tenants around the district.

"We found it very difficult when severe budgeting meant we were not able to provide tenants with the quality of homes and the level of service they deserved. We are now able to move forward and our surveyors will be out in the coming weeks and months looking at the backlog of work for trusts that have built up."

She said Mrs Harrison would get a brand new walk-in shower after the removal of asbestos in her property in a few weeks' time.

But Mrs Harrison said: "I wish I could have had it before.

"I am pleased, but it has been very difficult."

Councillor Mukhtar Ali (Lab) said: "I'm glad the work is being done in the property at last but it should not have taken so long.

"Her physical condition has become worse and it has been a very difficult time for her."

The Telegraph & Argus highlighted the plight of Mrs Harrison, former president of Bradford Red Cross, in January

She suffers from angina, hardening of the arteries in her legs and high blood pressure.

Dozens of readers rang up expressing sympathy for her plight.

Mrs Harrison said today: "I want to thank the Telegraph & Argus for what they did to help me."