RESIDENTS in the Bere Alston area have finally got lift-off with a piece of vital equipment designed to help disabled people get to their local council’s chambers.

After a two-year campaign to raise more than £20,000 to pay for the project, a lift has been installed in Bere Alston’s recently-revamped community centre.

The lift was given its official opening at the latest meeting of Bere Ferrers parish council, when West Devon Borough Council leader Neil Jory tried it out, along with fellow borough councillor and parish council chairman Peter Crozier.

The honour of officially cutting the lift’s ’ribbon’ pleased Cllr Jory, who told parish councillors that the only other event he had been asked to open during his public service career was the duck race at Lamerton.

One of the councillors behind the new lift project, parish councillor Brian Lamb, explained afterwards that the new device replaced a previous lift, which had malfunctioned during a power cut some two years ago.

The ’old’ lift, installed around 11 years ago, had refused to move after what he described as a series of technical failures and it was decided to replace it with a new one.

Cllr Lamb said there had been problems with the council’s insurance company, which at first had declined to pay up, but which had eventually relented.

He said funds to cover the full cost of replacing the lift had also been provided from other sources, for which they were grateful.

Cllr Lamb said: ’The lift itself cost £23,000 and we did get some money from the insurance, but we did receive funds from Beregen, the charity which manages the parish hall, an anonymous charity and West Devon Borough Council.

’The hall received a rebuild in 2011 and it was necessary to put in the lift because of the law â?? if you have a building with a first or second floor, then you have to ensure that disabled people have access to the floor.

’The (original) lift was installed as part of the rebuild of the hall back in 2011.’

Cllr Lamb admitted that it had been hard work to get the lift replaced and added: ’I’m glad it’s all over, really.’