A dispute between BT and a local council over who is responsibile for maintaining a manhole has left one in a “very dangerous state with an accident waiting to happen”, according to concerned local residents.
A damaged manhole located on the green near Highbridge Railway Station has been covered with a flimsy piece of wood after the normal concrete lid shattered.
Cllr Joe Leach, pictured here with local resident Roger Keen, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “The whole manhole structure has shifted and this led to the concrete lid shattering and being removed.”
“It’s now a very dangerous hole in the middle of a green frequently used by children and dog walkers.”
“A flimsy wooden board has been put over the top of it, but that wouldn’t be strong enough to prevent someone falling through.”
“British Telecom and Sedgemoor District Council are denying responsibility for it, so in the meantime it continues to be left in this dangerous state. It’s an accident waiting to happen.”
“We don’t want someone to fall through and injure themselves. We want to shame the two organisations into doing something about it.”
Pictured are Cllr Joe Leach and resident Roger Keen besides the manhole
