Council warned after woman's pavement fall death

The family of a woman who died after tripping and hitting her head on a pavement had previously raised concerns about it being broken, a coroner has said.

Moira Farnell, 79, fell outside her home in Bletchley, Milton Keynes on 18 April, causing a brain bleed. She died in hospital nearly three weeks later.

Coroner Tom Osborne has raised concerns with Milton Keynes City Council about the family reporting the broken pavement as a hazard before her death but no action being taken.

The council said it was very sorry to hear about the death of Mrs Farnell and was "looking into this tragic case".

Mrs Farnell was taken to Milton Keynes University Hospital after her fall and, following a CT scan, was diagnosed with a traumatic subdural haematoma.

Her condition deteriorated and she died on 6 May.

An inquest in July concluded her death had been an accident.

In a prevention of future deaths report (PFDR), Mr Osborne said there was a "risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken".

"The deceased’s family contacted the council prior to her death concerning the hazard posed by the broken pavement but no action was taken to repair the pavement", the report said.

It added that the council had 56 days to respond to the report with details of any action to be taken.

In a statement, the council said: "There are clear policies in place for when roads and pavements should be repaired and the time it takes, which prioritise safety.

"We'll continue to monitor the footpath as part of our usual inspections."

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