Published: Wednesday, 24th June, 2009 4:53pm

Disabled man's anger over pothole injury

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A DISABLED man has slammed the council after twisting his ankle in a pothole.

On his way to the shops Peter Harkins was crossing Cross Arthurlie Street when he was taken unawares.

The 47-year-old dad-of-two said he ended up flat out on the road in agony and is raging that a pothole that size and next to a kerb has not already been filled by East Renfrewshire Council.

Barrhead man Peter suffers from Parkinson"s disease and because of the illness needs to use a walking stick and he has told the News of his painful accident.

He said: 'I was on my own and had just left my friends house.

'I was going up to the shops to put a top-up in my phone when I tripped in a pot hole and ended up in hospital. I have torn ligaments in my leg and I"m all strapped up.

'I was just crossing the road when it happened and then an ambulance came to get me.

'I got a fright because I suffer from Parkinson"s disease and there was a lot of pain in my ankle and it just ballooned.

'I decked it right onto the road and it was dangerous because there was traffic going by.

'I got such a fright I tried to get straight back up but I was in agony. I waited 45 minutes for an ambulance because I wasn"t seen as a priority and then didn"t get out of hospital until 4am.'

The former forklift driver added: 'I can hardly walk as it is never mind having to walk after falling down one of those potholes.

' I am very angry about this because I could have banged my head and caused myself even worse damage.'

A council spokesman said: 'As far as we know the man involved hasn"t reported the accident formally to us.

'We have sent out an inspector to look at Cross Arthurlie Street and there are some repairs needed where utility companies have been working on the street.

'If the man could report it formally to us that would help us deal with it and if anyone knows of a pothole please report it to us and we will take action.'