A PENSIONER had to be rescued by Bromsgrove's fire brigade after his stairlift 'went into overdrive' for the third time in a week.

Stephen Kimberley was travelling downwards when the equipment ground to a halt, having moved just four steps from the top of the stairs last week.

The 69-year-old, who lives alone, shouted for help before using his mobile phone to call his sister Pamela.

Mr Kimberley said: "It was the third time in a week the stairlift had broken – it was ridiculous.

"I was only on it for a second before it apparently went into overdrive and got stuck. I couldn’t get off of it.

"I yelled for help, but by the time the neighbours got around I had already called my sister, who called the fire brigade.

"They were really quick and got me off it within a few minutes. One of the firefighters said, 'you’re not the first person this has happened to', so it obviously happens all the time."

The former assembly worker is asthmatic, suffers from angina and has had two knee replacement operations.

He has lived in his Bromsgrove home since the day he was born, and had the stairlift fitted three years ago when climbing the stairs started to leave him breathless.

Mr Kimberley has since had his old stairlift replaced with a capsule-shaped Stiltz Home Lift, which was installed by local firm Dolphin Lifts Midlands.

He added: "I decided I wasn’t going to use the stairlift again. I was frightened of using it in case I became trapped again – it was too nerve-wracking.

"I had the stairlift serviced every year and it still broke down.

"The [new] lift has improved my life and made me more mobile. I’ve no anxiety about using it. It’s one small step in, push a button and I’m off."