AN ANGRY pensioner who regularly travels between Blackburn and his East Lancashire home by train today branded a station footpath: "A nasty state of affairs."

Edward Dewsnap, 62, lashed out at rail bosses who are spending millions on transforming Blackburn Railway Station while other parts of the service remain untouched, despite his complaints.

Mr Dewsnap, an arthritic who uses the service almost daily, has contacted Blackburn with Darwen Council, the Health and Safety Executive, Railtrack and First North Western Trains about the footpath at Cherry Tree station, Blackburn.

He said: "I am very concerned about safety on the railways and the state of this footpath in particular, which is a disgrace.

"The fencing is in need of repair and patched up with chicken wire in places, while the path itself is overgrown. I slipped on an empty drinks can I didn't see for weeds recently and I just couldn't get up. It was awful.

"Someone is going to be seriously hurt, especially if they fall through the fence which leads directly down to the tracks. "I cannot believe they can afford to do all this work at Blackburn Station and leave this footpath as it is."

Mr Dewsnap said the footpath should be closed to the public completely while essential repairs are carried out.

He added: "I have to catch the train to do my shopping because I use a trolley and cannot manage to handle it on the bus.

"But this footpath is not safe and I think it should be closed while it is sorted out. It is a nasty state of affairs."

A spokesman for Railtrack said: "It seems, on face value, to be partially our responsibility and partially First North Western Trains responsibility, while either the local authority or the person who owns the land would also be liable for the condition of the footpath itself.

"We have written to Mr Dewsnap advising that we will investigate the portion of the problem that is our responsibility and that we have contacted First North Western to draw their attention to the portion that is their responsibility."

A spokesman for the Health and Safety Executive confirmed they were investigating.

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