Telford pensioner in plea over state of paths
A pensioner has hit out at the state of paths around a beauty spot near his home, saying they are now so bad he can no longer take his wheelchair-bound wife to the local park.
Lawrence Talbot, of Ladycroft, Wellington, said he regularly takes his 86-year-old wife Barbara on walks around Little Apley Pool.
But he says the state of some of the paths has become so bad that they are impossible to navigate with his wife's wheelchair.
Mr Talbot, who is 85, said he wanted to take his wife of 62 years, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease, along the path from Leegomery Road towards the hospital and the park. But he said the dips, bumps and nettles meant this was not possible.
"She's a Wellington girl, she has lived around here all her life, and when somebody has Alzheimer's it is important for them to be able to see places they are familiar with," he said.
"I can take her so far near the pool, but I would like to be able to take her all the way around, but it is not just possible. With some of the paths the nettles are so bad it is just about possible to walk along them if you stay in the middle, but it's not possible with the wheelchair."
He said he had reported the matter to Telford & Wrekin Council numerous times.
He said Mrs Talbot's condition meant she now had to live at Myford House care home in Horsehay, but he still took her out every day for a walk.
"They really need to clear it to make a nice level path," he said. "It's not just for me, but for a lot of people who want to walk around there."
A spokesman for Telford & Wrekin Council said: "We have noted Mr Talbot's concerns and will be carrying out a site visit to see if remedial works need to be carried out on the paths near Apley Pool."
