A PENSIONER is facing surgery six months after she tripped on a pothole and broke her shoulder in three places.

Jennifer Bryant and husband Douglas, both 69, have hit out at Essex County Council’s lack of action following the fall in The Avenue, Wivenhoe.

The couple claim much-needed repairs have not been completed to the road and its condition has deteriorated since the accident.

In October, Mrs Bryant got off a bus and went to cross the road but caught her foot in a crack in the road.

She fell over, landing in front of a bus which luckily had come to a halt.

Mrs Bryant was rushed to the emergency department at Colchester Hospital where it was discovered she had broken her shoulder in three places.

Mr Bryant said: “Her shoulder will never be the same again.

“She is going to have another six months of therapy to see if there will be any more improvement otherwise she will need a replacement shoulder joint put in.

“She is a keen sewer and makes dresses.

“She can just about use a needle and thread again now but she struggles.

“It has really affected her as she hasn’t been able to do her biggest passion.”

The couple, who have lived in Wivenhoe for more than 40 years, say they contacted Essex Highways following the accident but did not receive a response.

Mr Bryant added: “What we want to see is the same as what everyone else wants. The road needs to be sorted.

“I have been to third world countries where the paths are not this bad.”

A spokesman for Essex Highways said the authority was very sorry to hear about Mrs Bryant’s injuries.

He added: “We hope very much she will make a good recovery in due course.

“Anyone falling like this is to be regretted, not least if the state of the pavement there was a contributory factor.

“The pavement is walked and checked by our inspector regularly, including in August and November 2018.

We are aware of some relatively minor issues with those pavements, but as far as we know, none represent a higher risk to the public.

“Please do report the problem, with as accurate a location as possible, online at www.essex.gov.uk/highways and our inspector will re-visit the site to check and if necessary schedule repairs.”