A 101-YEAR-OLD navy hero has won a victory to have his toenails cut free on the NHS - thanks to the Evening Press.

Furious relatives of Raymond Perrett - the last surviving crew member on Lord Nelson's HMS Victory - reacted with astonishment when health chiefs said he must wait ONE YEAR to have his nails trimmed.

They said it was "farcical" to put a 101-year-old on a 12-month list.

Mr Perrett, pictured, a resident at the Willow House Care Home, York, is believed to be the last living crew member to have served on the famous Victory when it was afloat.

The historic vessel became a national institution after Nelson's triumph against the French and Spanish fleet at Trafalgar in 1805.

Mr Perrett was the last crewman to run up HMS Victory's signal flags on Trafalgar Day in 1921.

Health chiefs defended the one-year wait and said all cases were assessed on individual need.

But we can reveal that bureaucrats have now backed down - and let former torpedo firer Mr Perrett shoot to the top of the toenail queue.

His son Chris, 63, today hailed the part played by his local paper in securing the change of heart.

He said: "Without your help I'm sure he would still be waiting for the NHS.

"I'm pleased he's in the system and will not have to wait a year."

The Heworth resident had hit out at the decision to make his dad wait, and compared the amount of money spent at the recent lavish Trafalgar 200th anniversary celebrations to the cost of a toenail cut.

Chris Perrett was forced to go private and pay £15 for each time for his father's monthly snip.

But today he revealed that his dad's nails had been cut by the NHS on August 17.

However, Mr Perrett said the letter, from Selby and York PCT head of podiatry Robin Hull, indicated that the PCT did not think it was its job, and that routine cuts like this should be carried out by care home staff. He added: "The NHS is saying that while we sort this row out, we will cut them for him, but as far as we are concerned, it's not our job."

The retired MoD worker said he did not understand why the care home staff would not do the job. "I'm disappointed with their attitude - it's a bit cavalier to put it mildly."

A spokesman for Selby and York Primary Care Trust said: "When one of the PCT's podiatrists visited Willow House to carry out routine appointments he assessed and treated Mr Perrett. The guidance over the cutting of nails and whether this should be carried out as part of any assistance given by the staff at a care home to normal hygiene is something that we will be working with our colleagues on."

Updated: 10:23 Thursday, August 25, 2005