“DANGEROUS” paving slabs outside a sheltered housing project are causing residents to stay inside, a concerned carer claims.

Linda Jay’s 86-year-old mother lives in Highfield Court, Stevenage, and says that the path is an accident waiting to happen.

Mrs Jay, who cares for her mother full time, said: “It’s dangerous.

“Branches of the trees keep breaking off and falling on the ground, and the paving slabs are cracked and raised.

“Eventually one of these old dears is going to fall and break their hip and die through shock.

“The council came out and said that the paving slabs have got to be 9mm out before they do anything.

“The fact is that a couple of them are more than 9mm out.

“I get so frustrated with it.

“I have found out since that the news agents out the back have been battling with the council for years.

“My mother is 86 and she’s got to use a walker, she’s mainly in a wheelchair but on a good day she can use a walker.

“But there’s no way she can go out there, she’s housebound.”

The path in question is a route for residents to access nearby shops.

Stevenage Borough Council is not responsible for maintaining the town’s paving instead it is under the purview of Hertfordshire County Council.

A spokesperson for the county council said: “We encourage members of the public to report any highway faults using our website www.hertsdirect.org/highwayfaults or by calling the Customer Service Centre on 0300 123 4047.

“Following an initial assessment, we are then able to make a decision about what work is needed and where necessary, schedule the work in to either our emergency works or our ongoing maintenance programme.”

If you have any uneven and potentially dangerous paving near your home The Comet would like to hear about it, contact us on 01438 866000 or online at editorial@thecomet.net