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Broken lift leaves top floor residents 'in prison'

Richard Stead
BBC News, Manchester
BBC Photograph of Lukasz Ciszek in his 12th floor apartment in ManchesterBBC
Lukasz Ciszek lives on the 12th floor of the Christabel apartment block

Angry residents of a top-floor 12-storey tower block where the lift has been out of action for a month have described feeling "imprisoned" in their own flats.

People at the Christabel tower block in the Collyhurst area of Manchester are enduring a daily slog up and down the twelve flights of stairs since the lift broke on 5 January.

Lukasz Cisze said he feels "like a prisoner" after weeks of having to carry shopping, his pet pug dog and his two-year-old son up and down the stairs several times a day.

Property managers RMG has apologised and said repairs were expected to be completed by Monday.

In a notice posted in the building, the company said specialist contractors were needed to replace parts of the lift motor.

Photograph of tower block in Manchester, where the lift has broken
The Christabel tower block is off Rochdale Road in Collyhurst

Mr Ciszek, who works as a barber in Chorlton, has lived at the block for five years and said there had been problems with the lift in the past.

"They say they are working really hard but we've seen no results so far. You feel like a prisoner in your own flat, and you pay service charges to RMG," he said.

"It's unacceptable. In other countries they would fix it in 24 hours."

Photograph of Klarizze Premarion, who lives on the 11th floor of the Christabel apartment block in Collyhurst.
Klarizze Premarion, who lives on the 11th floor, said it was unacceptable

Klarizze Premarion said the faulty escalator has made taking out the bins or running quick errands a problem.

"When I come back home from work I don't want to leave because of having to walk up and down 11 flights of stairs," she said.

"It's been a month now. Hopefully it gets fixed soon, it's kind of unacceptable," she said.

Photograph of Ryo Suzuki, who lives on the 6th floor of the Christabel apartment block in Collyhurst.
Ryo Suzuki lives on the 6th floor

Meanwhile, a bit lower down on the sixth floor, Ryo Suzuki said the faulty lift was still an "inconvenience", mainly when "getting my suitcase up from holiday"

He added: "My work bag is about 10kg and I have to bring it up and down. It's a pain."

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