PEOPLE will attempt to fall in holes and down man holes on Karbon Homes land in order to force the housing operator to pay compensation, according to one boss.

Principal Surveyor, Growth and Business Development at Karbon Homes, Kath Heard, made the comments at Prudhoe Town Council's Planning, Contracts, and Works Committee meeting last Wednesday.

She attended the meeting to discuss the installation of two bus shelters on opposite sides of Stonyflat Bank in Prudhoe. Councillors were unhappy that the town council would have to take a lease out on the land - at peppercorn rent - in order for the shelters to be installed.

However, Kath explained that the move was necessary to provide legal protection for Karbon.

She said: "The reason we need a lease is in the event of an accident, Prudhoe Town Council would be covered because you have everything in lace, you're completely covered - but unfortunately, Karbon would not be.

"Say somebody climbed up and broke their leg and pursued action, we would have to go to litigation and we would have to pay costs.

"Unfortunately, the advice we've been given is as a landowner this is something we need to put in place.

"People will find a hole and step in it if they can, or find a left man hole cover and fall in it."

Later in the meeting, it was suggested that the land could be transferred to Prudhoe Town Council in order for the bus shelters to be built, rather than having a lease which councillors felt was objectionable.

Councillors agreed to look into the idea further and discuss it at a later meeting.