A PERTHSHIRE businessman and his employees have stepped forward to offer their assistance to a Dundee war veteran.

For the past nine months, old soldier Alexander Ramsay has been seeking help to adapt his garden to enable him to stay in the Kirkton home he’s called his own for the past 61 years.

He first sought help from Dundee City Council to accommodate a motorised scooter. But after council officers eventually assessed his home for suitability for a ramp, they concluded he did not qualify for funding.

Mr Ramsay, wounded in the second world war and with two artificial knees and arthritis in the hips, is happy to buy an electric scooter himself, but needs financial help for the work, estimated to cost around £9000.

Asda Kirkton’s events co-ordinator Mary Robertson this week stunned the pensioner by donating £500 from an award she had received for her community work.

And Craig Babington, who owns C Babington Plant Hire and Ground Works, was so moved by her generosity that he pledged £2000 worth of labour to help make the ramp a reality.

“We’d read about Mr Ramsay and decided we were in a position to help,” said Mr Babington. “The materials and plant hire will have to be paid for, but a squad of men for two or three days will not break the bank.

“At 95, all Mr Ramsay will want is peace of mind and I hope we can help give that to him.”

The initial estimate for a ramp was around £10,000, but an alternative plan (installing a shed with power supply, a retaining wall and new gate) is put at £9000.

Mr Ramsay was delighted to hear Mr Babington was willing to step in and help. But he said it would depend on Dundee City Council whether he could accept.

“That is a lovely offer and I am awful thankful for that,” said Mr Ramsay. “The only thing is there will have to be (planning) permission from the council.”

A council spokesman said “Plans have been submitted and we are keeping in touch with Mr Ramsay in our efforts to… enable further progress to be made.”