A Keighley woman is still appealing to advice agencies for help in gaining compensation for childhood abuse.

Tina Guest, of Spring Bank Rise, had her hand held in a fire 24 years ago by a man who knew her mother.

Mother-of-three Tina, 28, last year applied to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme as part of her fight for justice.

She was told payments were not made for incidents before 1979 where the attacker lived in the same household as the victim.

Tina's solicitor was forced to give up the case when Legal Aid ran out, but Keighley MP Ann Cryer offered to help her find support.

Mrs Cryer approached several organisations, and Keighley and District Victim Support and Bradford Law Centre offered advice.

The Law Centre says Tina's problem seems to relate to the strict rules of the compensation scheme.

Advice worker Catherine Gallagher says: "The rules are usually applied without discretion and this is one of the recurring criticisms of the operation."

At the suggestion of the Law Centre, Tina was this week trying to contact the Rights of Women group in London.

Rights of Women is expert in national challenges to laws that affect women's rights and may be able to put her in touch with specialist solicitors who take on cases free of charge.

In the meantime, Tina has appealed against the "no pay" decision of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme. The appeal will soon be heard by an adjudicator.

Tina says she is relieved that so many doors are opening for her but admits her campaign is causing her stress.

Counsellors have told her she has a right to be angry about what happened to her as a child, and she wants some kind of justice.