A DISABLED man with a big heart kept his coffee and biscuits promise as he offered a warm welcome to workers building a dropped kerb after a long fight.
Pietro Bellato brought tea, coffee and biscuits to the workers building the dropped kerb outside his home in Goldsmith Road in Blackpole, Worcester.
The work. carried out at no extra cost to the city couple, brings a happy ending to the saga which had left the couple fearing they would be charged £33,000 for the dropped kerb because it involved diverting broadband cables.
The workers were treated to a choice of hot and cold drinks and a selection of biscuits, including custard creams, Jammie Dodgers and Mr Kipling cakes as Mr Bellato made sure he thanked each of them personally for helping him.
Mr Bellato, a retired floor layer who is originally from Venice in Italy, said: "Thank you very much to these gentleman, they're doing a marvellous job. I also want to thank Cllr Jill Desayrah."
Cllr Desayrah, a Labour councillor for Warndon, helped lobby for the work on behalf of the Bellatos.
FRIENDLY: Pietro Bellato took the time to thank workers personally for building the dropped kerb outside his home in Goldsmith Road in Worcester (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)
Four members of the Ringway team were on hand working on creating the kerb and were grateful to be offered refreshments by the Bellatos.
One worker said: "We have been absolutely well looked after. He has done what he said he was going to do. Just like Ronseal, he's done exactly what he said on the tin."
It is expected the work will be finished on Friday, allowing the couple to get on and off their drive in the car more easily. We previously reported how the couple feared they would have to pay £33,000 for the kerb.
Mr Bellato, 72, had already forked out £3,074 from his savings for the dropped kerb, paid directly to county council contractor Ringway.
But he and his wife were gobsmacked to receive a further estimate of £33,000 because the work would involve diverting 'shallow' fibre optic cables.
The retired floor layer and his wife said the estimate for the work was more than the £35,000 they originally paid for the semi-detached house in 1996.
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Mr Bellato said previously, when he learned they would not be charged £33,000: "I feel so happy and relieved. It's a weight off my mind. When Cllr Desayrah called me it made me smile and I'm very, very happy.
"People were telling me to give up but I said 'I don't want to give up'. It was with the help of everybody, especially Jill (Desayrah)."
Mr Bellato, who has battled cancer and is waiting to see a specialist about a major hernia while his wife Angela also suffers with mobility issues - she needs a hip replacement and suffers from scoliosis (a twisted spine) and spondylosis.
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