GRAN Gaynor Booth cannot walk without the aid of a stick and struggles to carry more than one shopping bag at a time.

It takes the 48-year-old more than ten minutes to walk to the bus stop - less than 50 yards from her front door.

But Torfaen council has taken her disabled parking permit away because it says she is no longer eligible because she doesn't receive any disability allowance.

Although she is not registered disabled, Mrs Booth and her husband Darrel say they do not claim from the state for the sake of it because they do not want the allowance.

"I've had the badge for the last three years and now all of a sudden I'm not disabled anymore," she said.

Mrs Booth, of Melbourne Court, Greenmeadow, has arthritis in both legs, her spine and hands.

She takes up to eight tablets a day of the painkiller Co-codamol and needs two inhalers to ease her asthma.

"If we go to the supermarket and my husband can't park in a disabled space, I have to walk further and my legs start to ache and my feet swell," Mrs Booth said.

"My mother-in-law is 84 and in better condition than me." Mrs Booth fell down some steps 11 years ago and arthritis took hold. Husband Darrel, 56, a van driver, said: "To stop it now, when she's had the badge for three years, is ridiculous."

New rules for qualifying for disabled parking permits have been set out by the National Assembly and followed by Torfaen council.

A spokeswoman said she could not comment on individual cases but the guidelines stipulate all applicants under 65 must either: * Be registered blind * Receive a higher rate of the disability living allowance * Receive a war pensioners' mobility supplement

After Mrs Booth applied for the badge to be renewed, administration officer Greta Jones wrote back saying she no longer qualified, adding: "Disabled parking spaces should be made available to those in most need." Mrs Booth will now visit her GP for medical evidence to submit to the council.

The spokeswoman added: "Mrs Booth is welcome to attend one of our customer care centres in person to have her mobility assessed or to provide a medical report."