AMPUTEE Wilfred Hunter says he cannot leave his Swindon home unaided because council builders have not made his doorway big enough for his wheelchair.

Mr Hunter, of Acacia Grove, Pinehurst, said he has not left his house alone since May 26 because he cannot get up and fold his wheelchair to fit it through the front door.

The 77-year-old had an operation to remove his lower leg in May after a splinter wound in his foot turned gangrenous.

Mr Hunter said he is a prisoner in his own home and can’t even enjoy a shower, as Swindon Council is yet to install one to meet his needs.

“I am trapped,” he said. “I need someone with me every time I want to go out, so as a result I just don’t go out.

“Now I can’t even have a shower because they have ripped my bath out but not replaced it. I’ve been abandoned.

“I just want the dignity of being able to wash properly. The state my bathroom is in now, I can’t even turn my wheelchair in there.”

Council workers built a wheelchair slope outside Mr Hunters home just after his operation.

They returned at the beginning of August to remove the pensioner’s bath at his request.

Mr Hunter said he has not seen the builders since, and added: “I don’t even know if they are coming back.”

He said he has lost out on summer because he has had to spend most of the season indoors.

“Now the nights are drawing in I won’t go out because of the cold,” he said. “I used to be very able-bodied, going out to the shops myself and cleaning my bungalow.

“Now it has been left a bombsite. It’s a half done job.”

A spokesman for Swindon Council said: “The council was not aware of the extent of the adaptations required for Mr Hunter’s property until June 30.

“Contractors working for the council have since installed a ramp to Mr Hunter’s property.

“However, it has transpired that the doors to the property need to be modified to enable the ramp to work effectively.

“We hope to resolve this issue in the next two days.

“Mr Hunter asked the council to remove his bath as he could no longer use it following his operation and to enable him to gain proper access to his bathroom.

“This work was undertaken and Mr Hunter is on the high priority list to have a wet floor shower unit installed.”