Housing bosses have apologised to residents of a Bradford 14 storey tower block over a lift which has been out of order for seven months.

And the second lift at Douglas Towers on Radwell Drive in the city centre is in such a poor state that fire crews keep being called out to rescue its passengers.

In the last four months the Telegraph & Argus has reported on seven people who have had to be pulled from the lift.

The Bradford Community Housing Trust, which manages the block, has promised work will be carried out to fix the lifts and also said its lifts across the city were due to be refurbished.

Douglas Towers resident Pavlo Mucha, 39, lives on the fourth floor with his elderly mother and says tenants have now been told it will be at least another three weeks before the lifts are fixed.

Mr Mucha said: "We have had a lift out of action since December and, as for the other lift, there are more times when it is not working than it is. Only last week somebody got stuck."

Mr Mucha said his mother had health problems, like many other residents, and has trouble climbing stairs.

Enrichetta, 76, suffers from angina, asthma and arthritis and can't get into or out of her home when the one remaining lift isn't working.

Bradford Community Housing Trust, which oversees the property, has told tenants the parts it needs to make the repairs are on order, but Mr Mucha said: "They have been telling us this since the start of the year.

"Every time I call up they say they are waiting for the parts, or they cannot get the parts. They are just making excuses - I am sure you can get a lift working in seven months.

"They are cutting down trees around the block because of plans to put a fence up, but they are not spending money where they have to - their priorities are wrong."

Albert Marshall, vice-chairman of the Triangle and Royal Tenants' Association which covers Douglas Towers, said: "I have reported it a few times but what else can I do? They have said it will be another few weeks - but that is another few weeks of hell. It is beyond a joke."

Ken Nicholson, head of investment and regeneration for the BCHT group, apologised to residents and said: "The complex control panels needed to keep these lifts running are no longer obtainable and we're having two complete new control panels specially built at a cost of £29,000. These should be fitted and working within the next few weeks."

He also said that BCHT was planning to replace or refurbish of all its lifts across the district.