A DISABLED woman from near Whitchurch says she has been left between ‘a rock and a hard place’ after a delivery firm stopped delivering to her house.

Christine Boulton lives at Twemlows Farmhouse in Higher Heath, which is down a country lane, but the driver for delivery firm Hermes says he will not deliver down the ‘potholed’ road for fear of damaging his van.

According to Christine, Hermes are the only firm that will not deliver, with Amazon, DPD, Royal Mail and other home delivery firms agreeing to travel on the road.

“Some of the road has been re-surfaced and some has not, but it is fine,” said Christine, who was left to contact the company’s chief executive officer directly.

“I am caught between a rock and a hard place at the moment.

“It is perfectly passable, and all other companies deliver happily, as well as the postman and the bin man – it’s just this one driver who will not.

“Things are a bit weird at the moment with the coronavirus and I cannot go out and collect packages.

“He has not notified me that he will not deliver, on the website it just says there has been an error.

“I emailed the CEO of Hermes directly, and he said I would have to go to the driver’s house, which as I am a vulnerable person, who can’t go out for the next three months, is not possible.

“It seems just really strange, he knows my predicament, he knows I am vulnerable and in a wheelchair.”

In their response to Christine’s complaint, Hermes offered various alternatives to having parcels delivered, including delivering to a bungalow halfway towards her house, or leaving packages with the gardener.

But Christine says these solutions are ‘untenable’.

“I explained that going to collect a parcel in wheelchair is not possible,” she added.

“I just found it extraordinary, that the reply from the CEO is the same as the driver. It is word for word, absolutely verbatim what the driver said.

“Disabled people relied on delivery services before this mad world, so what do I do, it’s absolutely untenable.

“One of the parcels sent back was cleaning materials, all the things you need to stay safe.”

Christine has been left at a loss as to why Hermes has not been willing to deliver.

“There is nothing I can do, I just think it is cruel,” added Christine.

“If he is that worried about his vehicle, then why doesn’t he walk?

“The response to that was that I would have to cover his lost expenses. I don’t own the lane, there is nothing I can do to alter it.

“Other delivery companies have been outstanding, that makes me feel better.

“We’re all suffering here at the moment, you have to try to stay positive.”

Hermes has been approached for comment.