Lanark couple behind bars in Bendigo Place flat

However, although not exactly locked up in their retirement flat in Lanark's Bendigo Place, 81-year-old James Paisley and his 80-year-old wife Mary have found themselves firmly behind bars there!

The couple moved into the quiet, secure, enclosed courtyard of flats, originally designed for elderly residents, as council tenants around 20 years ago.

All that time, they enjoyed the peace of mind and security of the courtyard being protected from the public throughfare outside in Wellgatehead by a stout set of metal gates with an intercom entry system to allow legitimate visitors access.

However, two weeks ago James and Mary suddenly found that intercom switched off and now even the buzzer to tell them someone is waiting for them outside the gates doesn't work.

"We've had two nurses and a doctor call to see Mary but they couldn't get in because we didn't know they were waiting there; they had to go away, phone us and come back later when I knew to wait at the gate to let them in.

"Even our son couldn't get in one day and had to go to a phone kiosk to ring and ask me to come and let him in. It's ridiculous," said James.

For more information on this article, see this week's Lanark Gazette, which is in the shops now.