Old soldier Joe Taylor, whose case was featured in the Telegraph & Argus, has been given a hand by a Skipton company.

Mr Taylor, from Undercliffe, contacted the T&A for help when he learned he faced the prospect of six months without a bath.

Since he had a leg amputated he found it impossible to manoeuvre himself in and out of the bath tub.

And he faced a six month wait for an occupational health assessment.

But when Philip Grieves of Skipton firm Dalesway Stairlifts read about the case he was determined to help.

And his company - which has just opened a new shop at Victoria Street in Skipton - has fitted a battery-operated bath lift worth £500 at Mr Taylor's home, for free.

Mr Grieves said: "It's always disappointing when people who deserve to be helped don't get the help they need. It just touched the heart strings. He really appreciates it and he finds it a lot easier now, but without his false leg on as it's a fairly short bath."

The lift means Mr Taylor can shuffle on to the seat and lower himself into the water, using a hand-operated control.

Once the mechanical device reaches the bottom, the seat reclines lowering the occupant gently in to the bath.

Previously, Mr Taylor had tried to combat the problem of getting in and out the bath using an old plank of wood and a stool with suckers on the bottom to stop it slipping.

Mr Taylor said: "It's lovely. You charge the battery up the night before you want a bath and it lowers you down and lifts you up at the press of button. You can sit on it and dry yourself. I am grateful for their help and I have been doing more with my leg recently, it's getting easier."

Mr Grieves now hopes to help Mr Taylor move about the house by contacting social services to see if he can be of help in installing a stairlift.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.