KIND Scouts touched by the plight of a pensioner outraged at plans to charge for a home alarm service have offered to pay the bill for him.

The Explorer Scouts wanted to put something back into the community and help the elderly - and saw a Shuttle/Times and News front page last month as the ideal opportunity.

Leader of the Ebury Explorer Unit, Terri Overland, said members were eager to help 83-year-old Philip Lane, who said he was furious over plans by a housing company to charge about £3 a week for the lifeline alarm system, used by pensioners who need urgent help.

Mr Lane, who suffers from a heart condition and complications from an operation for an aneurysm, had used the alarm four times to alert emergency services.

Mrs Overland said: "They realised this could have been their own grandfathers who might have had difficulty paying for the service. They decided they should give something back to people who were less able than they were."

Mr Lane said he was extremely touched by the gesture but asked for the money be given to another user of the service, provided by Wyre Forest Community Housing, who, he said, would find it impossible to pay for the alarm.

He explained: "This initiative by the Scouts, who no doubt have the plight of the elderly living alone at heart, is highly commendable. I felt honoured to be photographed in their company.

"I am sure there is someone much worse off than I am."

Mrs Overland - who said the explorers raised the £170 with two raffles at district Scout events - said members were moved by Mr Hall's gesture.

She said: "When they spoke to him and he said there was someone more worthy than himself they were really quite touched.

"They are thinking of giving the money to another user of the service or something with an elderly theme. They are very keen to help pensioners in the district."

The housing company has written to owner-occupiers telling them they will have to pay for the lifeline from April next year. The service is funded by the district council, but only for the five years after the authority transferred its housing stock to WFCH in 2000.