HAZARDOUS paving slabs could be removed completely in a bid to make the centre of Witney safer for pedestrians.

Oxfordshire County Council claimed vehicles owned by market traders were responsible for much of the damage and that it may seek to take radical steps in the future.

But residents fighting to get damaged slabs fixed have warned they still present a serious danger, despite the issue being raised with the county council months ago.

An elderly woman who previously broke her arm after on a raised slab in Witney has warned that the town’s walkways remain ‘lethal’ despite persistent attempts to get them fixed.

Dorothy Holloway, who suffered the injury in 2015, raised concerns about the condition of the pavements in the Witney Gazette in February.

Now, eight months on, she believes they remain in the same state.

The 69-year-old said: “Nothing has changed whatsoever with the paving slabs – they’re just as bad as they were.

“They say they’ll do something but then it just stays the same.

"It’s not on. To my mind they are still lethal.

"People have asked me to write to the council or the MP but now I think why bother – nothing will get done.”

Mrs Holloway, of Wenrisc Drive, Minster Lovell, goes into Witney about two times a week.

Shortly after Christmas in 2015, she was walking in Market Square when her mobility walker snagged on a paving slab, causing her to fall and break her arm.

At the end of January this year, while walking near the entrance to The Woolgate Centre, in Market Square, Mrs Holloway tripped again after catching her walker, but was caught and helped by a passing couple.

She fears that if she wasn't caught she could have seriously injured herself – and fears for others who are not so lucky.

The county council said that claims it has done nothing to the pavements over the past eight months is simply untrue – but did note that a number of repairs have had to take place in recent months.

Spokesman Paul Smith said: “The council is acutely aware of this issue.

"To say ‘nothing has been done’ is simply not true.

"We have had to repair slabs on a large number of occasions in recent months. "This has very often been after the market vehicles have been across them.

“A future solution may be to remove the slabs altogether, however, unfortunately for the time being at least, there is no funding for this."

West Oxfordshire district councillor for Witney Andrew Coles said he does not accept that the problem is limited to the Market Square.

He said: “It's a problem that is repeated all too often I'm afraid.

"Witney's pavements aren't fit for purpose in some areas and it's completely unacceptable.

“It's especially dangerous if you are elderly, frail or are visual impaired.

"I'm aware of a number of individuals who have received some nasty injuries as a result of tripping on an uneven pavement.

“It really affected the confidence of one elderly resident I know who used to come into town everyday on the bus but was very reluctant to come out again on her own following a nasty fall.

“I don't accept the problem is limited to just the market square. There have been numerous trips and falls throughout the town centre attributed to uneven pavements.

“It is essential for everyone's safety that our pavements are kept in good repair, safe and fit for purpose.”