RESIDENTS of a Southampton tower block have been driven to action because their lifts keep breaking down.

Furious people living in Canberra Towers, International Way, Weston, have demanded measures are introduced to solve the problem which has, on occasions, left them without a lift for 144 flats.

Asthmatic Carolyn Allen, who has had to take two children up 20 flights of stairs, three times in the past week, said: "That was not easy. They were exhausted."

Ms Allen, 37, said contractors began refurbishing one of the two lifts in January. Work on the lift finished in July when contractors were supposed to begin work on the other one.

This work has not started and the other lift keeps breaking down. During one week, it broke down 30 times.

Ms Allen has organised a petition calling for action and 60 residents signed within days.

She said: "One lady I spoke to was waiting for medication to be delivered. The person delivering it didn't want to walk up several flights of stairs so she had to wait two days. Another man telephoned the doctor because he couldn't make an appointment and the doctor had to walk up 11 flights of stairs."

A city council spokesman said: "We have experienced problems in the past few weeks in maintaining a lift service. This is due in part to a fault with the first lift to be refurbished. This has now been solved and we are confident that residents can now rely on this lift to provide a full working service.

"By working together to combat vandalism and misuse, which have been the major causes of breakdown, we hope that residents will be able to enjoy a full lift service."

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