85-year-old ‘bruised and traumatised’ after falling over embankment edge from pitch black pathway in Northampton

Sarah Smith, who has been a resident of Baines Way in Grange Park for more than two decades, reached out to the Chronicle & Echo following a serious incident involving her father Brian Claydon on February 28.

Brian lives on a ground floor flat in Georges Drive and despite being partially sighted, he lives independently with Sarah’s assistance.

The 85-year-old left his flat at around 7pm that Saturday evening, using his back door to walk to Sarah’s house via the path that runs from the Co-op to Richmond Care Home in Grange Park.

Sarah explained that the path has no light despite running beside a steep embankment that leads to a stream which is prone to flooding. Brian usually follows the fence outside his residence as a guide, but he had to turn around and head back home when he realised he had forgotten something.

Due to the lack of light along the stretch, Brian became disoriented in the pitch black. He lost hold of the fence and walked straight over the side of the embankment, falling 20 or so feet to the bottom.

Sarah believes that if this had happened around two weeks prior when the stream was completely flooded, Brian could have drowned.

The 85-year-old was badly cut, bruised and traumatised as he lay at the bottom of the embankment and had two passersby not heard him, Sarah dreads to think what would have happened.

She said: “It is deeply concerning that a public pathway used by many Grange Park and Richmond Home residents, as a cut through into Baines Way, the parade of shops and the pub, is left in complete darkness – posing a clear and foreseeable risk, particularly to the elderly or disabled residents.

“Adequate lighting is a basic safety measure, especially in areas where there are significant hazards such as embankments. It is only by sheer luck that this did not result in a fatality. Do we have to wait until that is the case before they will act?”

Sarah has been in touch with Grange Park Parish Council, who have notified their contact at West Northamptonshire Council’s Highways department of this incident. The formerly-gravelled pathway was tarmacked by WNC last year following pressure from Richmond Care Home about its use as a primary pedestrian route by their residents.

The flat that Brian lives in is owned by Orbit Housing Association and while they own the properties, Sarah is of the belief that they do not own the path.

“It’s obvious that there’s a very steep drop during the day, but at night it’s absolutely pitch black,” said Sarah. “People who use it as a cut through usually take torches. The flats were built around 18 years ago and this has been an issue from the start.

“There’s one light on the side of one of the flats so it’s lit up when residents go to their cars in the car park, but it’s not big enough to light the path too.”

Talking about the impact this has had on her 85-year-old father, Sarah said: “He cut both his elbows, he’s really badly bruised and because his skin is like tissue paper, it began to weep. I don’t know how he didn’t break anything, he’s really lucky.

“It’s knocked his confidence. I don’t like him going out at night anyway and I usually go to him, but he felt lonely and wanted to pop round.

“He’s partially sighted but still has his peripheral vision. He holds on to the fence to avoid the drop, but turned around, lost the feel for it and headed in the direction he thought he was meant to go.”

Sarah is confident that if the pathway was adequately lit up, it would have definitely helped Brian even though he is partially sighted and it would have enabled him to see the path edges.

“I don’t think something needs to be done just for vulnerable people, it’s everyone and children on bikes,” said Sarah. “It only takes going a foot too left or right to go over the edge, and lighting is essential.”

WNC confirms it does not own the pathway

When approached for comment by this newspaper, a West Northamptonshire Council spokesman said: “We are very sorry to hear about this incident and we hope the gentleman has made a full recovery.

“Although the council doesn’t own this land, our contractor resurfaced the uneven path left by a previous developer as a goodwill gesture to make it safer for pedestrians, but unfortunately there is no funding available for further measures such as installing lighting, unless the current landowner is able to do so. Our ward councillors are continuing to engage with organisations within the community to look at ways this issue can be resolved.”

WNC was subsequently asked who owns the land and a response has not been received.