A COMPANY that provides aids for disabled people in Cornwall has added to its already comprehensive showrooms.

HSC Mobility has opened a specialist paediatric showroom and assessment centre on the Guildford Road Industrial Estate at Hayle.

Until recently, customers who wanted to view and trial specialist paediatric ranges have had to visit mobility centres out of county. Now HSC Mobility - owned by Lee French and his wife Yvonne - is filling that requirement for the people of Cornwall.

The official opening was by Wendy Mudge, senior community occupational therapist, Camborne-Redruth Community Hospital, on Thursday.

One customer, Mrs Pauline Reed, who lives at Threemilestone, said she first went to HSC Mobility in July 2003 when she was looking for some equipment for her son who was 14 and suffered with cerebral palsy.

"Until then I had to go out of county to find anyone who had any paediatric equipment in stock or could understand my son's care needs. But now that has changed. Mr French has supplied several pieces of equipment for my son and they have changed his life," she said.

Mr French previously worked in the "care" industry, first as a carer and then as an assistant home manager. After leaving residential care, he was invited to join the management of a domiciliary care company where he saw a specific need for greater care standards in the sector.

He later launched a training company to improve general care practises where he became more familiar with mobility care. HSC was the result.