A COUNCIL has stepped in to save the day after the family of a couple among seven people killed in a horrific motorway pile-up complained about the state of a memorial site.

Members of the public donated money to instal seven benches and a memorial pillar at Hankridge after the crash on the northbound carriageway of the M5 just past Junction 25 to Taunton on November 4, 2011.

But Tonia White, whose parents Tony and Pamela Adams were burned to death as a fireball erupted in the incident on November 4, 2011, is upset the memorial appears to be falling into disrepair.

Taunton Deane Borough Council, which provided the site, has now agreed to take on the ongoing maintenance of the benches, which are splitting, and the memorial column, which is fading.

Mrs White, who regularly visits the site with her husband, Phil, earlier this week said: "It's a shame - the memorial needs a lift because it's peeling and needs a coat of varnish, while the wood is cracking on the benches as they haven't been treated.

"Wood does naturally age, but it's getting worse quicker because it hasn't been treated.

"The council cuts the grass, but no-one seems to have been responsible for the memorials and I fear it could fall to pieces.

"It makes it look as though the seven people who died are forgotten and is disrespectful to the people whose generosity helped put it there in the first place.

"I regularly go there for a time of quiet contemplation. It's a lovely place, but it's sad looking at it now. It looks quite forlorn."

A Deane spokeswoman said it gave permission for the area to be used as a memorial as it is close to the site of the tragedy, which involved 24 vehicles and resulted in 51 people suffering injuries, as well as the seven fatalities.

She said: "In the months that followed the M5 incident, the council was approached by a group that had raised funds for a memorial.

"We were able to support them by providing permission for the use of the area and installing the memorial and benches.

"The council did not take any responsibility for the maintenance of the memorial and benches at that time, but having now been made aware of the need we will take on the ongoing maintenance for these items.”

Mrs White yesterday said she is grateful to the council for agreeing to maintain the site.