A CHRONICALLY-ill amputee will be allowed to stay in temporary accommodation after Bournemouth Borough Council had a change of heart when the Daily Echo became involved.

Stewart McIntyre, 53, has a heart condition, is an insulin-injecting diabetic and needs to have kidney dialysis three times weekly.

His kidney condition caused the onset of gangrene which led to both legs being amputated during the winter.

Before the amputations, the former forklift truck operator lived in a New Forest council maisonette in New Milton.

Stairs meant that was no longer suitable and he wanted to move closer to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital where he dialyses.

With nowhere else to go, he ended up living in Royal Bournemouth Hospital until early May when Bournemouth Borough Council moved him into sheltered accommodation in Boscombe.

Then New Forest District Council said the couple could have the keys of a bungalow in Fawley ready to move into on June 28.

But last Monday they were given their marching orders from Vale Lodge because the room was needed.

After the Echo made inquiries, Bournemouth council relented.

Neil Smurthwaite, service director for community care, said: “Mr McIntyre is a New Forest resident. However, because we understand his situation, our staff have gone over and above normal council procedures to find him emergency temporary accommodation and have moved mountains, which has had a knock on effect to others in Bournemouth needing housing, to make sure that Mr McIntyre can stay in his temporary accommodation until his New Forest home is ready to move into on June 28.”

Ms MacLeod said: “That’s fantastic. I don’t know what else to say except thank you.”