War veteran from Cam in scooter dispute suffers another heart attack
8:30am Thursday 1st November 2012 in News By Daniel Chipperfield
THE World War Two veteran involved in a bitter row over the use of his mobility scooter has suffered another heart attack as the Royal British Legion comes to his aide.
Les Allum, 88, had a second heart attack on Tuesday, October 16, while exchanging angry words with members of the retirement lodge's committee.
The pensioner, who lives at Elm Lodge Retirement Complex with his wife of 65 years, Kathleen, started using the scooter after his first heart attack in February to get to his car and back.
The former chairman of Cam's Royal British Legion says he is stranded without it as he can no longer make the steep incline to the car park by foot.
He keeps the scooter by his door and covered when not in use but the committee for the complex says he is not allowed to keep it there, saying the facilities are too small.
Committee members John Norman and acting chairman Ted Pearce went to the Allum's house to discuss the matter, but the conversation abruptly ended when Mr Allum collapsed.
Mrs Allum, 85, quickly propped her husband up in a chair before calling an ambulance which took him to hospital.
Since then Mr Allum, who pays £1,000 a year in maintenance to the committee, has been visited by members of the Royal British Legion who have pledged their support to help him as much they can.
Chairman of the Dursley and Cam branch of the legion, Andy Cooper, treated the meeting as a "fact finding" visit to see if the stories reported in the Gazette were true – afterwards remarking that it seemed much worse.
While Mr Cooper wanted to stress the legion had not had the opportunity to speak to the committee as yet, he commented that the distress the situation was causing Mr Allum was "unacceptable".
"They have got no business, no legal right to interfere with Les' quest for independence," he said.
"He cannot be discriminated against, from our point of view the committee are not giving him any kind of consideration.
"I have taken this to county level and they say they are also behind him, we will do whatever we can for him."
Now recovering at home, Mr Allum took the opportunity to express his gratitude to the legion and everyone else who has shown their support in recent weeks.
He said: "I want to thank all of the people who have offered their support to me, including those in town who I don't even know."
The monthly meeting of Elm Lodge's committee was due to be held yesterday (Oct 31) and Mr Allum was invited to attend, although his doctor advised him not to because of fears about his health.
Ted Pearce, acting chairman of the committee, declined to comment.
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