Two pensioners in their nineties have spoken of their relief that a meals-on-wheels service will be reinstated to their Co Londonderry homes.

However, 96-year-old Elizabeth Doherty, who is partially blind, says she remains unconvinced over the reasons given by the Northern Health Trust, who stopped the service several weeks ago.

Elizabeth is just one of around 25 pensioners in the Coleraine area who have had to make do with frozen meals cooked in a microwave.

"I welcome this assurance that the meals-on-wheels will be reinstated, it is a big relief for me," said Elizabeth.

"But I don't know what to believe. I had thought that the meals-on-wheels were gone for good, and now they are telling us that it will be coming back when equipment is fixed. I just hope that they will be brought back as soon as possible.

"Whatever the reasons, I am glad that we will all be getting good nutritious food again. It has been a very worrying few days, and very expensive as well."

Yesterday, chief executive of the Northern Health Trust, Colm Donaghy, said the delivery of the meals had not been withdrawn, and described the current situation as an "interim measure" while equipment needed to keep food warm was repaired.

"We have a duty to ensure that the food which we deliver is safe... the service is under review, and at no stage did we say that the service would be withdrawn," Mr Donaghy told the Stephen Nolan Show.

"I am giving to the clients, as the chief executive of the trust, an undertaking that the service will be reinstated when the equipment is repaired."

Instead of paying less than £1.50 per meal, pensioners have been forced to fork out up to £5 a day for the frozen meals, which are cooked by home helps.

Another pensioner from Coleraine, who would only give his name as 'Victor', said he too was relieved.

"I don't know what has been going on, but it has not been good enough," said the wheelchair-bound 93-year-old.

"I was always led to believe that everyone should be cared for, from the cradle to the grave.

"It will be great to see the meals on wheels again. The frozen meals are very expensive and they aren't even proper food."