A DISABLED war hero was unable to get into a charity event where he was a guest of honour – as there was no disabled access.

Ben Parkinson, of Doncaster, had been invited to the Towers Ball at Carlton Towers, near Selby, which was being held to raise funds for the Royal British Legion.

But when former Paratrooper Ben, 27, who was believed to be the most seriously injured soldier ever to survive the battlefield, arrived at Carlton Towers with stepfather Andy Dernie, he discovered a long flight of stone steps leading to the venue’s entrance.

Rather than face the indignity of being carried up the steps in his wheelchair, Ben and Andy turned round and went home.

Event organisers Jennifer and Lawrence de Donges Amiss-Amiss have since written to Ben to apologise.

Yesterday, Mr de Donges Amiss-Amiss said they had not invited Ben to the event personally – rather the Town Crier of Doncaster had asked him – although Ben had been offered the chance to give a Champagne toast at the dinner.

He said there were six people waiting to lift Ben and his wheelchair up the entrance steps, but Mr Dernie had said it was undignified.

He said he had not known about the problems until later in the evening.

Mr de Donges Amiss-Amiss said: “He [Ben] was not turned away or anything like that. There were six burly chaps outside to carry him in.”

Mr de Donges Amiss-Amiss, who runs a business in Hook, near Goole, said thousands of pounds had been raised for the Royal British Legion as a result of the Towers Ball.

The Press was unable to contact anyone at Carlton Towers for a comment, but a national newspaper reported there was no disabled access at the stately home as it was a Grade I listed building.

Ben’s life was changed when he was caught in a landmine blast in Afghanistan in September 2006, which broke his back in three places, all his ribs and punctured his lungs.

The blast also ruptured his spleen and shattered his nose, cheek and jaw. Doctors later had to amputate both his legs above the knee.

His difficulties at Carlton Towers come after The Press reported on Monday many leading retailers in York city centre were still failing to provide disabled access, six years after legislation designed to address the issue.