A SCOTS pensioner who had both feet amputated has won a victory over bungling council chiefs who refused him a blue badge.
Tom Hannah had the lower part of both legs removed in operations last year after doctors discovered that his irregular heartbeat was causing circulation problems in his legs.
The 73-year-old was granted a provisional blue badge to let him park in disabled spaces but when he tried recently to renew it council bosses refused.
They told the pensioner from Rosyth, Fife that because he could walk 20 yards he was not eligible.
But after a two month battle the council has finally been forced to accept that Mr Hannah is disabled and issue him with his blue badge.
Mr Hannah said: “I am just over the moon to finally have my blue badge.
“It did take a while but I am just so happy I now have it.
“I found it incredible that I was told I was not entitled to one in the first place.
“You would have thought they would have used common sense from the beginning but there you go.
“I’m very relieved to have it done with and now I can go out and about.
“I can walk, but with crutches and it causes me a lot of pain and trouble.”
Mr Hannah, a retired Ministry of Defence employee was told in August that his ability to walk 20 yards was part of the assessment for blue badge eligibility.
Despite explaining how much of a struggle walking is for him, council bosses demanded that he go for a mobility assessment again.
Due to his age, Mr Hannah does not receive any financial assistance from the Government or disability allowance – his blue badge is his saving grace.
“If I didn’t have a blue badge there is now way I would be able to go and use any car park in the country,” he explained.
“I have to be able to open my car door fully, as my legs don’t have much bend in them at all.
“If I have to use a normal car space then I would be trapped in the car or trapped at home.
“They gave me a temporary one last year- do they think my legs are going to grow back?
“When I went for the mobility test, the outcome was obviously that I was fine!”
“Me getting my blue badge shows that common sense has at last prevailed.”
Mr Hannah started having problems when he went on a cruise holiday in Norway and felt what he thought was cramp down his right leg.
After returning, he visited hospital but even after numerous tests doctors were unable to identify the cause of his problems.
Then one day while going upstairs at his home he collapsed with a severe pain down his side.
After more tests at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee medics found he had an irregular heartbeat which was causing circulation problems.
Doctors took off his leg and he was later told his right lower leg would also have to be amputated and another prosthetic limb fitted.
