Lift being fixed for trapped OAPs

Work is now underway to help the 12 residents in their 80s

Work has begun on repairing the faulty lift at an Aberdeenshire care home where 12 pensioners have been stuck on the upper floors since Christmas.

Managers at Clashfarquhar House in Stonehaven have been waiting for a replacement part to arrive from Italy.

The news prompted calls for safety checks to be carried out on every care home in Scotland.

Engineers are now at work at the Church of Scotland home and it is hoped the lift will be working by the weekend.

The problem arose after delays getting a replacement lift gearbox from the Italian manufacturers.

Emergency procedures

Alternative accommodation was not established because it had not been expected to take so long to fix the lift.

Carrying the residents up and down the stairs had been ruled out on safety grounds.

Normal emergency procedures to evacuate all occupants have been in place.

The 12 residents, one man and 11 women, are all in their 80s.

The Care Commission and environmental health officials have been consulted on the situation.