An 88-year-old woman has been confined to her top floor retirement flat in Ipswich for a fortnight because of a broken down lift.

Ipswich Star: The block of flats on Pownall Road where resident Edna Wallis has been trapped due to a broken lift.The block of flats on Pownall Road where resident Edna Wallis has been trapped due to a broken lift.

Edna Wallis has missed two hospital appointments - including one for a pacemaker check - since the lift stopped working at Foredeck, in Pownall Road.

She was even unable to attend her great-granddaughter’s third birthday at the weekend.

Mrs Wallis has been stuck inside since being helped up four flights of stairs by paramedics on the first day of the lift being broken.

The company in charge of maintaining the building has apologised and said that delivery of a required component meant the problem would be fixed no later than today.

Mrs Wallis, who owns the flat and pays a maintenance fee to Peverel Retirement, said: “People are helping me get orders of food, the post and the newspaper sent up.

“It’s a nuisance. They said they were waiting for a part to be delivered. It’s getting quite lonely waiting up here.”

Mrs Wallis’ daughter, Ann Robinson, said: “My mum hasn’t been able to leave the building for two weeks - she can’t manage all those stairs.

“She can’t even do her washing because the laundry room is downstairs.”

A spokesman for Peverel Retirement apologised to customers, adding: “We have been working closely with our specialist lift maintenance company (ThyssenKrupp) and they anticipate the lift returning to service no later than June 3. We have kept residents updated on the progress of the work.

“The welfare and wellbeing of our residents is always our most important concern and our on-site house manager has been working hard to help residents with shopping and other day-to-day tasks.”

Age UK Suffolk said it was concerned by the delay. Information manager Helen Taylor said she hoped the problem would be resolved very soon. She added: “In this case, I know that her family have been able to assist. However, I do feel concerned that there may be other residents without family support who are feeling equally isolated because of this problem, and may have no-one to turn to.”

Age UK Suffolk’s Ipswich Help Desk is at 41a Upper Brook Street, Ipswich, or on 01473 257039.