A company running a retirement home has been accused of leaving pensioners stranded after a delay in fixing a faulty lift.

Furious residents at Richmond Court in King’s Road, Herne Bay, say they were unable to attend medical appointments, go shopping or visit their families over the festive period as a result.

The fire brigade was called to the building after one of its residents got stuck in the lift on Saturday, December 22.

Helen Jepson, whose 74-year-old aunt Dorris Brown lives in the retirement home, believes residents were abandoned by the company that manages the building, First Port.

She said: “It was disgusting – the residents were stranded on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. My auntie’s worried about using the lift now – she won’t go in there on her own.

“She can get down the stairs, but she really struggles to get up because she has a heart problem.

“Some of the residents put some chairs out for her so that she could stop in between flights to get a rest.”

After being out of order for six days, it was fixed on Thursday, December 27.

“Some of the residents put some chairs out for her so that she could stop in between flights to get a rest...” Helen Jepson

However, 76-year-old Roy Laker, who lives on the third floor of the building with his wife Kitty, says it ruined his Christmas.

“We were supposed to have my 95-year-old mother-in-law up for Christmas and there’s no way she would have been able to climb up to the third floor because she can hardly stand anyhow,” he said.

“It’s been the worst Christmas and we don’t know how many more we’ll have with Kitty’s mum.”

Mr Laker – who is on the waiting list for a double-hip replacement – managed to leave the retirement home on Christmas Eve for a family meal.

But the ordeal left him in constant pain for the next two days.

“I can’t walk up and down those stairs because I’m on crutches and waiting for a double-hip replacement,” he explained.

“But I went out for the meal on December 24 and had 48 hours of continuous pain afterwards.

“I feel as if we’ve been abandoned.”

Mr Laker added that he was forced to miss an appointment at a warfarin clinic because the lift was out of order.

Built in 2006, Richmond Court houses elderly people ranging in age from 70 to 95 across 47 flats.

Clive Booth, a spokesman for First Port, said: “While every effort was made to get our specialist lift maintenance company on site as soon as possible, the repair was more technically challenging than expected.

“Our paramount concern is always for the safety of the residents.

“We are sorry they have not been able to use the lift until late last week, but it is now fully working.”