CAROL Murphy' s worst nightmare was that she would fall from her wheelchair and be stranded with no-one to hear her cries for help.

The 33 year-old suffers from multiple sclerosis and is determined to hold onto her independence. She still lives by herself at West Paddock, Leyland.

Her nightmare recently came true - but this time help was at hand. In an amazing stroke of luck, Carol had decided to join Lifeline's emergency help scheme just hours before the accident. Carol said: "Without Lifeline I could have been on the floor for hours." Lifeline's control centre, run by the New Progress Housing Association, takes 400 calls a day from old, infirm and disabled people, giving immediate help to its 6,000 members.

Trained staff, who are on duty 24 hours-a-day, will call an ambulance, doctor, relatives or send round a warden depending on the crisis. Last week ithe service moved into bigger offices at Jubilee Court, Leyland.

The job does has its lighter moments, says manager Sue Harrison

"We have to check if they've got pets that could bite our wardens. One lady warned us of her parrot that's been known to deliver a nasty peck."

Lifeline is available in the Preston, South Ribble and Chorley areas.

Wardens are alerted by a smoke alarm contained in a special telephone while a temperature monitor will set warning bells ringing if a pensioner's home becomes too cold.

Says Sue: "We can also arrange for joiners and plumbers to call. Many of our customers contact us just to let us know they're OK. After all it's good to talk!"

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