DESPERATE Barry Pickup removed an aching tooth using a claw hammer and pliers — after waiting four years for an NHS appointment.
Barry, 60, downed whisky to numb the pain before spending an hour pulling out the aching molar piece by piece.
He bit down hard on a flannel when the agony got too much during the DIY surgery in an armchair.
Wife Diane, 60, hid in a bedroom but could not escape his screams.
Barry, of Scarborough, North Yorks, insisted: “I decided enough was enough. I wouldn’t have done it unless I’d been in agony.
“I woke up next day feeling like I’d been punched in the face. I don’t know what is worse — that or toothache. I won’t be trying it again.”
Ex-nurse Barry said he was offered appointments in Newcastle 90 miles north, or 45 miles south in Hull — despite using a mobility scooter.
Diane said: “We were quoted £400 to go private but we’re disabled and don’t have much cash.
“We both worked for the NHS for over 25 years.
“I’m not saying we should get special treatment but we should get help when we need it.”
A local dentist has now come forward and offered Barry a free appointment.
