DISABLED Maurice Matterface has found freedom at last after inmates at Portland's Young Offender Institution built him a new house ramp.

Wheelchair-bound Mr Matterface, 61, has been a virtual prisoner in his home in Cornwall Close, Weymouth, after being unable to negotiate his front door steps.

Prisoners at the YOI have come to the rescue and thanks to their engineering skills Mr Matterface now has a ramp, which he says has given him a new lease of life.

Mr Matterface and his wife Hazel, 55, who have three grown-up children, have thanked the inmates and the institute's governor for the ramp.

But they have hit out at Weymouth and Portland housing chiefs claiming that they applied for a cement ramp from them and were refused.

Mr Matterface said: "I am delighted with the ramp and it will make such a big difference.

"We were using a collapsible ramp before and it was very dangerous.

"We asked Weymouth and Portland housing for a new ramp but we were told that we couldn't have one because there was no money.

"We were then told to contact Weymouth social services who said that I was not a top priority because I have a wife who can help me down the steps."

Mr Matterface, who has been in a wheelchair for 10 years, added: "I am disgusted by the way we have been treated by Weymouth and Portland housing. It seems to me that they don't care that I was almost a prisoner in my own home."

He was given a new lifeline by the inmates after prison officer Mark Bosch saw them struggling with their old ramp and he came to the rescue when Mr Matterface's wheelchair started to tip over.

After he had helped them he went home and discussed with his wife Deryn, who runs Weymouth's flying dentist service, what they could do to make life easier for Mr and Mrs Matterface.

They came up with the idea for inmates to build the couple a new ramp.

Mr Matterface said: "We would like to say a big thank you to Mark and Deryn Bosch, the inmates and the prison governor for the ramp.

"It will make our lives a lot easier and safer."

Governor in charge of resettlement at the YOI, John Skelton, said: "We were delighted to be able to help.

"This is a good example of when public services like prisons and private organisations like the flying dentist come together on behalf of the local community."

Director of operations for Weymouth and Portland housing, Kevin Dey, said: "We will put in a proper ramp and agree with their occupational therapist what is needed but it will not be done until April.

"This is because the budget is completely spent for this year.

"We have a limited budget and in the first nine months we have had 239 applications for repair work but we will help the Matterfaces as soon as we can. They also applied for a new shower, which will be put in within the next eight to ten weeks."