Report by Max Evans

A GRANDMOTHER with terminal cancer is trapped in her care home because there is no way out for her mobility scooter.

Relatives of Susan Barnby, 66, have pleaded with Medway Council to fit temporary kerbs around St Catherine's Hospital, on Star Hill, Rochester, so that she can cross the road.

But Medway Council says a safety review must be carried out before the work can be done.

Doctors have given Mrs Barnby only a few weeks to live – and she is determined not to spend them indoors.

She said: "I can't go out on my own. I can't get to shops on Delce Road, I can't get to the bank. I'm totally housebound.

"You talk about St Mary's Island, this is the Island of St Catherine."

Mrs Barnby was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a year ago and received chemotherapy before doctors told her four weeks ago that the cancer had spread to her stomach.

She is unable to walk for more than five minutes at a time.

She said: "The hospice charity has done everything in their power to make life easier.

"But there's no point in getting these vehicles if you can't use them."

Her daughter Michelle Latham, 38, said: "Knowing what an outgoing person she is, and that she's not able to leave the house, I don't think it's fair.

"Everybody deserves their freedom."

St Catherine's Hospital is a residential care home managed by Richard Watts and the City of Rochester Almshouse Charity.

There are three points around the almshouse where a pedestrian could cross the road but each is either too steep, too dangerous or lacks a dropped kerb.

One mooted solution would be to lower the kerb where Delce Road meets Star Hill opposite Rochester Independent College, but this would require a safety review because road signs would have to be removed.

Mrs Barnby's son-in-law, Ian Latham, 41, said: "I understand there will probably be eight weeks to three months of planning but we don't have that much time."

A council spokesman said: "Medway Council is committed to ensuring all residents can travel easily and safely around Medway, and would be more than happy to speak to Mrs Barnby to discuss her individual needs and find out how we can help make her journey easier.

"We have also visited the location and are currently looking into installing dropped kerbs to ease access to Rochester High Street."