HEARTBROKEN old folk have been told their Christmas decorations must be taken down - because they are a fire hazard.

For more than 20 years Elsie Robinson, 88, and her neighbours have transformed the bleak corridor outside their flats in Manchester with baubles and tinsel.

They say the decorations at their sheltered accommodation in Baguley, Wythenshawe, make them feel festive and count as one of the highlights of their year.

But now the residents, many of whom are too old to decorate their own flats, have been told the decorations in the corridor are a fire hazard and cannot stay. They are put up by friends of the residents who travel from Glossop.

Elsie - who has lived in her flat at the Westfields accommodation for 22 years - has been shocked and upset by the sudden change of heart by officials at Anchor Integrated Care and Housing.

And the furious residents have told the housing association that if they want the tinsel and baubles removed, they must do it themselves. In fact carers will have the task.

Elsie said: "I have lived here for 22 years and every year we have decorated the corridors.

"We look forward to this every year - we each put in a bit of money and someone travels over especially to help us decorate.

"I can't decorate my flat anymore but the decorations in the corridor just make you feel a bit more Christmassy. It makes you feel a lot better, as though Christmas is around the corner.

"This year there's tinsel and baubles and stars. It's very tastefully done.and it looks very nice.

Hazard

"When someone was here from Anchor, they said they had to come down. They said it was a fire hazard. I got so upset. This goes too far. It's horrible to see silly rules and regulations spoiling the good spirit of Christmas.

"Most of us are in our 80s so we don't mind taking a risk on a bit of tinsel."

Elsie says residents have already been banned from putting door mats outside their front doors because of health and safety.

But she says that when decorations continue to be allowed in the communal lounge and areas such as the doctor's surgery, the instruction to clear the corridor goes too far.

Neighbour Alice Turgoose, 72, said: "I think it's a bit ridiculous to want to pull them down. They are up at the top of the corridor so you can't touch them.

"They are nice and they make it look really bright. They just keep saying it's a fire hazard."

The decision was taken during a visit from head office personnel who asked carers to inform residents and to take down the decorations.

But the housing trust said residents are free to decorate their own flats for the festive season in any way they choose and can put decorations in some communal areas.

They said there isn't a blanket ban and decorations can be put up in some corridors - but they must not pose a hazard to safety.

A spokesman from Anchor said: "Of course tenants at Westfields can decorate their flats and the scheme's communal areas over Christmas. We welcome their efforts to make it all look festive but our primary concern has to be tenants' safety.

Risk

"If there is anything in hallways that poses a fire risk or could hinder access to evacuation routes then we will ask tenants to move it. Most decorations tenants have put up do not pose any risk and will remain in place over Christmas.

"Tenants can put decorations in the hallways as long as they don't pose a fire hazard. In this case we felt that the position of some decorations represented a fire risk but many of tenants' other decorations in the hallways around their front doors will remain."

A mobile Santa's grotto which has raised money for charity for more than 30 years, has been taken off the road - because of health and safety fears.

Santa doled out lollipops to children in Lampeter, West Wales, but there are fears the youngsters could be hurt crossing roads to get to the grotto.

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