AN area of Wiveliscombe which houses many elderly people is ‘unsafe’ at night because of a lack of street lighting, it was claimed this week.

Anthea Brown claims the lights in the Plain Pond part of town have been either broken or very dim for several months, making life difficult for her 88-year-old mother Jean Stenner.

She said: “The street lights are now so dim it is dangerous for people, especially older people, to go out at night as they cannot see the steps up from their properties to the pavement. It is pitch black and unsafe for them to venture out when dark.”

Mrs Brown says she first reported the problem to Taunton Deane Council on December 5 last year. She received a reply saying the area was covered by the county council, which would inspect.

The council said the bulbs had been replaced on December 6 but Mrs Brown claims they are still faulty and has had to take her own action in the mean time.

“This applies to the bottom area of Plain Pond and is mostly an area of old people. We have painted the edge of my mother’s steps white but vision is still negligible.”

A spokesman for Somerset County Council said the authority acknowledged the problem and hoped to have it sorted as soon as possible.

He said: “We received reports of a problem with the street lighting on December 5 last year and a county council contractor went to investigate.

"Some light bulbs were replaced and lenses cleaned. Since then we have received further reports that the lighting is still not working and we are currently working to deal with this.”

To report faults call 0845-3459155.