Anger over mix-up on specialist bed order

The grandparents of a disabled Staffordshire youngster whose friends and relatives raised enough money to buy him an adjustable bed have been forced to pay for one themselves after the company handling their order went in to administration.

Andy Speke, aged six, of Penkridge, suffers from the muscle-wasting condition spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and cannot sit up or move unaided.

His grandparents Andy and Bev launched a successful fundraising appeal in 2006 to raise enough money to buy him a specialist wheelchair, costing £15,000.

Their efforts were so successful there was enough money to buy him an adjustable bed as well as the wheelchair.

But after ordering the bed in April 2006, the couple asked for it to remain in storage until an extension at their Croydon Drive home was complete.

And despite paying a 50 per cent deposit of £1,433 to Aldersley Battery Chairs, which at the time was based in Birmingham but then moved to Sunbeam Street, Wolverhampton, they have never been able to track down their order.

Bev, aged 52, said today: "I phoned every few months to check everything was ok and was repeatedly told there was no problem. But ever since we have been trying to get it delivered, we've faced numerous problems and no-one is returning my calls."

Eventually the couple decided just to pay for a new bed, from a different company, so that Andy had somewhere to sleep.

Andrew Smith, managing director of Midlands-based GH Automotive Ltd, said Aldersley Battery Chairs went into administration in January 2008 and GH Automotive bought the assets in February this year.

"We did not own the company at the time this order was placed and we don't have any records for that time," he said. "But we would be happy to work with the family."