ACCESS difficulties for York's disabled are highlighted by a guide showing city attractions and facilities designed to make life easy for wheelchair users.

The Lord Mayor of York, Coun Derek Smallwood with Linda McElroy, chairwoman of the Access Fund, holding copies of the fifth edition of the disabled person's guide to York

The fifth edition of the Disabled Person's Guide to York also lists buildings designed with the needs of other disabled people, including the blind and deaf, in mind.

The book includes facilities such as accessible public toilets, pubs, cafes and restaurants, museums and libraries, public buildings and city attractions that can be easily used by the disabled.

First published about 12 years ago, the book is frequently updated as new buildings and improved access appear.

Chairman of the Access Group, Linda McElroy, said: "It is definitely improving. In the fifties, if you were in a wheelchair you were basically house-bound because there were few facilities for the disabled, and now we take many of them for granted. Hopefully the things we have campaigned for will soon be taken for granted and be expected everywhere."

The guide is available from tourist information offices, the Disability Rights and Resources Centre in Priory Street and the Access Group's offices in Front Street, Acomb.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.