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Uneven pavements causing injury and isolation

Andrea Ormsby
BBC News, Devon
BBC Christine Reid's face framed with grey hair, showing injuries from falling over on the uneven pavements. She has cuts to her forehead, nose and cheek with a bruise over her right eye.BBC
Christine Reid was injured in a fall on a pavement

A church in Tavistock has said of its congregation are being left "black and blue" after tripping over uneven pavements in the town.

Elders from the United Reformed Church said some pensioners are now so scared of falling over that they are staying at home, leaving them lonely and isolated.

The church called for repairs to be made to the heritage paving, providing a more even surface.

Devon County Council said recent inspections had found a defect which has since been repaired.

Christine Reid suffered cuts and bruising to her face when she tripped on a pavement.

Mrs Reid said she has difficulty getting over the gullies with her walker because the wheels get caught.

At a recent meeting at the church to discuss the pavement issue, Mrs Reid said: "These blooming pavements shake you up."

She said she was lucky there was someone around to pick her up when she fell.

Bob Stride wearing dark tros and a dark checked shirt, sitting in his wheelchair on a pavement, facing a line of parked cars
Bob Stride, 66, says getting around Tavistock in his wheelchair is "bloody painful"

Bob Stride, 66, said getting around Tavistock was "very hard work" and "bloody painful".

He uses a wheelchair and said he has been "tipped" out of it twice because of the paving.

However, he added: "I wouldn't like to see all the heritage paving go, that would be awful.

"But perhaps we could do some grouting and fill in the gaps a little bit just so that my wheels can run over them a bit more smoothly."

He said this would be a "dramatic help".

Suzy Weston Brian Mico sitting in a chair wearing his pyjamas and dressing gown, holding a cup of tea. Mr Mico is smiling but has two large white padded dressings on his head after injuries sustained during a fall on the pavements. Suzy Weston
Following several falls, Brian Mico stayed at home more leaving him "isolated" according to his daughter

Suzy Weston said a few people had been injured in falls.

"There's my dad, Brian Mico, there's our friend David, who was black and blue after he fell, there's Bob who's fallen out of his wheelchair - there's just so many people and it's not acceptable," she said.

Mrs Weston said her father's mobility scooter fell on top of him in one incident.

She said that as a result her father had ventured out less, becoming more isolated.

They called for the authorities to "do something about it.".

A spokesperson for the council said: "We are sorry to hear that some s may have experienced trips and falls in this area of footway.

"Footpaths in and around Tavistock are made up of granite slabs which by the very nature of these historic materials are uneven.

"Abbey Bridge, West Street and Church Lane onto Plymouth Road, have all undergone a formal safety inspection recently with no safety defects found in line with our policy.

"Market Street was last inspected on 12 March and one safety defect was raised by the inspector. This has been repaired."

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