Now its the new year time to think about what we have learned ... A proper loft ladder is required. A couple of options at two points in the market (i.e. prices !):
formatting link
or
formatting link
Is it worth paying twice the price for one with much better insulation and probably slightly more sturdy, although I notice it does not have a hand rail or a gas strut like the cheaper one ?
I guess one could beef up the insulation in the cheap one by mounting the thing further into the loft and adding a celotex sandwich under it, but you would need a mechanism to extend the catch.
Simon.