'My pothole trip left me scared to cross the road'

15 hours ago

Lee BottomleyStaffordshire

News image — Ellen Anderson said the fall had shaken her confidence on a route she used on most days

BBC A woman with blonde hair, wearing a black jacket over a stripy style jumper. She is the focus of the picture, with cars and houses blurred in the background. — Ellen Anderson said the fall had shaken her confidence on a route she used on most days

A blind woman says she is scared to cross roads after tripping in a pothole while training with her guide dog.

Ellen Anderson was hurt in December as she fell at a crossing in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, and admitted it had affected her confidence.

The pothole and wider concerns about uneven and damaged pavements were then reported but an initial county council response in January deemed it not to be urgent.

Repairs on Milehouse Lane were then carried out on Wednesday with an authority spokesperson apologising over what happened to Anderson.

"In the whole time of being blind, and I'm 58, I've never had a foot injury like it, even as a child," she said.

"I'm trusting that the pavements I'm walking on are fit for purpose and [her guide dog] Poppy is there to guide me, she's not there to look out for my feet.

"She's there to spot any obstacles like cars, bins, lampposts, she's not trained to look for potholes."

A close up of a hole in a road surface, alongside a damaged pavement edge — The pothole that Anderson fell in, hurting her ankle and delaying her guide dog training

The 58-year-old said she just wanted to feel confident going to the shop and getting home "with both feet intact".

Anderson added she was also concerned what December's fall could have done to the bond she had with Poppy and whether she could even complete her training with her.

A close-up of a light-coloured dog which is looking directly at the camera. She is wearing a luminous Guide Dogs harness — Anderson was training with her new guide dog, Poppy, when she fell

Emma Worthington, from the Guide Dogs charity, said if the 58-year-old had broken her ankle, they would have had to have given Poppy to someone else.

That was because the dog would not have been able to work while Anderson was recovering, her training would have broken down and there were other people waiting for an animal.

"In that instance Ellen would have gone back on the waiting list and potentially waited another year for another dog," she added.

A woman, wearing a blue woollen hat and a blue coat. She has plaited hair, and is smiling at the camera. — Emma Worthington, from Guide Dogs, said Poppy would have been given to another person who needed her if Anderson had been more seriously hurt

Given the condition of the pavement on Milehouse Lane, as well as issues with parking, Worthington said she had advised Anderson to ask someone in a shop to cross her over the road for her own safety.

"Which isn't ideal because then that takes away her independence and that is what we are striving towards at Guide Dogs, people having their independence," she said.

A woman is standing at the edge of a pavement in front of a pothole, with a dog in a luminous harness to her side. There are two takeaways behind her, and cars parked to the left and right — The pothole was by the kerb on Milehouse Lane, Newcastle-under-Lyme

A council spokesperson said they were always sorry to hear of any trips or falls on their roads and pavements and repairs on Milehouse Lane were completed on Wednesday.

"Any defects reported to us are inspected and assessed in terms of severity, with the most serious being repaired within 24 hours," said Peter Mason, cabinet member for highways.

"Other, more minor defects reported to us are repaired when time and resources allow."

The council was investing an extra £15m to tackle its pothole backlog and improve the roads, Mason added.

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