An 86-year-old woman became the latest victim of the Powys street lights switch-off after falling in the dark and injuring her face, it was claimed today.
The woman, who has not been named, tripped and fell in the darkness in Penybontfawr, near Oswestry, when she was walking to buy her supper on Sunday evening. A campaigner has blamed the fall on Powys County Council’s lights policy.
Mike Atherton, 60, from Llangynog, said the woman had fallen because the village was in darkness.
He said: “I have heard that this 86-year-old lady was on her way to buy fish and chips on Sunday when she tripped and fell in the darkness.
“It is because of the lack of lighting that she fell, I am sure of that, injuring her face in the process.”
The woman, who suffered cuts and bruises, was too upset to speak about her ordeal today.
Mr Atherton has just paid £300 out of his own pocket to turn the street lights back on in his village, Llangynog.
The lights are due to be switched on at a party at the New Inn in the village tomorrow at 4pm.
Alma deGray, of Penybontfawr, said she no longer wanted to go out in the village at night because of the switch-off.
She said: “I have not heard about this poor lady’s fall, but I share her upset because I am also too scared to venture out at night here now. It is terrible what they have done.”
A total of 9,000 lights in the county - two in three in non-core areas - are being turned off by the council in a bid to save £225,000 and reduce the authority’s carbon footprint.
Mr Atherton said: “People are too scared to go out and it is dangerous. I believe the switch-off has left elderly and vulnerable people in real danger, trapped in their homes and deprived of any social life.”
However, not all residents are concerned, John Scroxton of Penybontfawr said he thought it was a good idea to cut back on pollution.
“We managed 50 years ago with it,” he said.
John Evans, communications manager for Powys County Council, said: “It is difficult for us to comment on individual cases unless they have made contact with us, but we are currently reviewing the impact of the switch-off with the police and town and community councils.”
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