DISABILITY services in Wiltshire are among the best in England, a Department of Health survey has revealed.

Wiltshire County Council surveyed 300 people who use its services for physical disabilities and sensory impairments and the results were added to a national report. In three of the 10 questions asked, Wiltshire was top of all the shire counties in England.

These included whether users' lives would be much worse without help from social services or direct payments.

Here the council received a resounding endorsement, with 97 per cent agreeing with the question compared with a 92 per cent national average.

Elsewhere 89 per cent said they could always contact social services easily when the average was 79.5 per cent.

And 81 per cent of Wiltshire users said social services provided them with all the information they needed, 15 per cent higher than the national average.

Cabinet member for adult care services Cllr Judy Seager said: "I am delighted that users are so pleased with the services they are receiving, and that Wiltshire has performed so well nationally.

"I am also very satisfied that such a high percentage of service users say they can always contact social services easily.

"The county council has been doing a lot of work on improving customer care and communications, so it is pleasing that this is having an impact."

On three other questions, Wiltshire was the second best shire county, and on two more it came third. The results will count towards its star rating for adult and community services.