A DISABLED woman has called for improvements to a back lane in Haydon Bridge.

Joanne Southren suffers from osteoarthritis in her spine and has had both hips replaced, which means she relies on a wheelchair or mobility scooter to get out and about.

But she claims that the poor condition of the road outside the bungalow she shares with husband Lee Southren, between Strother Close and Parker’s Terrace, has made life difficult.

The 47-year-old said: “The lane along Parker’s Terrace is in a terrible, uneven state, with huge puddles when it rains.

“It’s dangerous to take the mobility scooter along there, so usually Lee will push me in the wheelchair, but sometimes it’s impassible.”

Parker’s Terrace leads to Church Street in the centre of the village – or on to Strother Close – both of which provide routes to Haydon Bridge railway station.

Mrs Southren acknowledged that there is another route via Ratcliffe Road, but says access to the west of her bungalow is sometimes restricted by parked vehicles.

Her husband, Lee, said: “We don’t want to cause a fuss. We just want something done about the road surface on Parker’s Terrace, but I’ve not been able to find out who owns the road or who is responsible for it.”

Coun. Eileen Charlton, of Haydon Parish Council, said neither the parish council nor Northumberland County Council were responsible for Parker’s Terrace.

She explained: “Parker’s Terrace, like a lot of back lanes in Haydon Bridge, is a bit of an anomaly.

“Historically, Greenwich Hospital Estate used to own a lot of land, but when land was acquired for the building of council houses, the council didn’t take on the roads.

“Years ago they were ash lanes and in more recent years, residents have clubbed together to put tarmac down.”