AN ambulance crew was forced to break into a flat to rescue an elderly woman because a key for the building could not be found immediately.

Residents at Southfield House sheltered housing complex in Addingham have hit out at Bradford-based Careline following the incident on Monday.

They say they are forced to act as wardens for their vulnerable neighbours since the previous warden retired last year.

A woman in her 80s was heard calling for help in her ground floor flat and a key for the building had to be brought from several miles away.

An ambulance crew called to the scene broke into the building to rescue the woman, with Careline staff arriving some 25 minutes after they were called.

Residents told the Herald the outer doors of the complex were locked from 3pm to 6am each day and there had been no on-site warden since mid October.

The intercom system is linked to an office in Keighley and there is no master key kept on site to open a particular flat if someone is in distress and locked in.

One lady resident, who did not wish to be named, said: 'If someone falls you cannot always reach the buzzer because the cords are not long enough.

'The flat for the warden has been empty since Christine retired in October. Bradford take money from Addingham and don't put a penny back in.

'We are having to do the warden's job. There are some very vulnerable people in here and they do not take care of us.

'The ladies who come are very good, but we need a warden.'

Careline manager Richard Wilman said residents could use an intercom system and a mobile warden was responsible for the care of people at Southfield House.

He added that the vacancy for on-site warden would be advertised this month and he hoped someone would be appointed at the end of March.

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