A sub-editor has paid tribute to firefighters who rescued him after eight hours stuck in his own loft.

Del Chapman, who works for the Lincolnshire Echo, had his right leg amputated below the knee three years ago.

Alone in his home, he decided to climb the steep steps to the attic bedroom conversion to admire some decorating work done by his wife Jackie.

But when he tried to get back down, he realised that he couldn’t negotiate the 14ft drop.

“After four attempts, I finally gave up trying and realised that I would have to wait until my son’s girlfriend came round to help me.

“But after a couple of hours, I knew she wasn’t coming and I would be stuck here until my wife and son finished work at 5.45pm.”

When she did get home, Jackie had to call the fire brigade, who lifted down 54-year-old Del.

He had amused himself during the lonely wait with a selection of antique books and a radio which were in the loft, but the heavy smoker missed a cigarette to calm his nerves.

He said: “It sounds funny now but it was quite frightening at the time.”

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