YORK pensioner John Garner, taken ill after having to crawl upstairs to use the toilet because his stairlift broke down two weeks ago, is continuing to recover in hospital.

His daughter, Sally Garner, said the 81-year-old retired nurse, who has long-term heart and breathing problems, was recovering, but was due to remain in York Hospital over the weekend.

She said City of York Council community services, who are responsible for the stairlift at the home Mr Garner shares with his wife, Denise, in Spalding Avenue, Clifton, were due to measure up for a second-hand replacement lift on Monday.

She said her parents had been told that getting a new lift could take more than a month.

The council has provided a chemical toilet in her mother's downstairs bedroom, so she does not have to crawl upstairs while waiting for the replacement lift to be fitted.

Evening Press readers have made a number of offers of help after we highlighted the Garners' situation.

Miss Garner said York Elevator Services, based at Stockton-on-the-Forest, had offered to help with parts free of charge, and an elderly woman living nearby offered a stairlift that was no longer being used.

Pete Whitfield, of Norton, contacted the Evening Press to offer a stairlift, which had been used by his mother, who died on Monday.

Mr Whitfield said if the Garners were not able to make use of the lift, he would happily give it to anyone else in genuine need. Anyone interested should contact the Evening Press.

Updated: 09:43 Saturday, March 01, 2003