Pensioners will now have to cook their own meals on wheels thanks to a new council cash saving scheme.

Instead of having meals delivered pensioners will now be given microwave meals they can heat up themselves.

Richmond Council has defended its new policy saying the elderly will be able to eat when they want and there will also be a bigger selection of meals.

And it promises elderly people unable to manage will still be provided with hot meals.

This new approach will begin in July 1999 and has met with mixed reactions from charities who help the elderly.

The Richmond branch of the charity Age Concern has voiced concern at what it sees as purely a cost cutting measure.

Chief officer Sue Child said: "Many old people may not be able to use the new cooking facilities and will be too proud to say anything."

Age Concern also feels that many elderly people will lose the only contact they have with the outside world.

Ms Child said: "Social Services does not have any responsibility to provide a purely social contact and there are not enough volunteers in the borough to check on every housebound pensioner."

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