A DISABLED pensioner from Corsham claims he has had to wait two years to have a proper wash because of delays fitting a shower in his bungalow.

James McDonald, 65, a tenant of housing association GreenSquare, said he first asked them to install a shower two years ago, when he started suffering from a back complaint that severely impaired his mobility, and left him unable to get into a bath.

Greensquare, however, denies they ignored requests for help and that Mr McDonald had to wait for so long.

Mr McDonald, who worked in the building industry before moving into creating stage sets and becoming a sculptor in natural forms, has been living in his home for five years.

He said: "I have lost count of the people I have tried. I asked, how would you like it if your parents were disabled and without washing facilities?"

Mr McDonald said that last week he felt so frustrated he threatened to glue himself to the GreenSquare office if he did not get a shower - and finally a contractor arrived and fitted one on Friday.

Of his first proper shower and wash, he said: "I just sat there and cried my eyes out."

He thought the delay was due in part to negotiations between the housing association and Wiltshire Council about funding for the alterations: "They are squabbling about budgets, but what about giving me my dignity?"

Richard Hopkins, assistant director of assets at GreenSquare, said: "We will always take any property adaptation requests seriously and don't accept that there has been a two-year wait in this case, or that we have ignored requests for help. We can advise and support customers with the process of arranging an occupational therapist referral and then applying to the council for disabled facilities grant funding.

"However, much of this process is beyond our control and can take quite a bit of time – and we completely understand the frustration this can cause. Because of this customer's particular circumstances we have installed an over-bath shower as a temporary solution that we hope will make life a little easier while the application progresses."