SON INJURED IN FALL AT NATURE RESERVE
A CONCERNED father says action is urgently needed to improve the safety of a “dangerous” footpath at a nature reserve in Derby.
Worried Matthew Hainy is angry over the lack of action since his four-yearold son Jackson sustained bad cuts and scratches to his knee and arm when falling over at the beauty spot near the Varsity Grange estate in Mickleover.
Jackson suffered the fall on August 2 this year and needed stitches from a first aid kit to help stop the bleeding.
Mr Hainy, 39, described the main footpath in the area as “dangerous” because it contains shards of broken glass and other sharp objects on the surface which can cause injury. It is unclear as to why the materials are there and where they have come from.
He said his partner Kerry Stewart first reported problems to Derby City Council in 2019.
She said the area, which also features a pond and seating areas, was in need of a tidy up.
Since his son’s nasty fall, Mr Hainy has been contacting the owners of the land – a number of local developers – to get improvements carried out, with emails being sent back and forth.
But the martial arts teacher says he is still searching for answers and says little has been done to protect the public and to stop other youngsters suffering like Jackson did.
Mr Hainy told the Derby Telegraph he is also considering taking legal action. He said: “It’s dangerous and unsafe, there’s no doubt about it. If you walk through the entirety of the path it’s just made up of stones, broken glass and parts of broken pots and tiles.
“Because of this and what happened to Jackson we don’t go there any more,
which is a shame. It needs resurfacing.
“What angers is me is that it should have never been in that state in the first place.
“It is taking far too long to get this sorted. I appreciate we are in a pandemic but this is public safety we are talking about. It’s just not acceptable.”
The Derby Telegraph contacted Redrow Homes, Persimmon Homes and Peveril Homes as well as Derby City Council – which is set to take over the ownership of the land – for comment.
The owners say improvement works will take place in the new year.
A spokesperson for Redrow Homes said: “We are aware of concerns that have been raised about the footpath within the public open space at Varsity Grange and have since secured the area. We are working closely with our consortium members, Persimmon and Peveril Homes, along with Derby City Council to finalise the scope of work needed, ahead of works to improve the footpath being carried out in the new year.”
A spokesman for Persimmon Homes North Midlands added: “We can confirm that following a site meeting, remedial work to the site will be completed as a matter of urgency.
“We are in regular contact with Mr Hainy keeping him fully updated.”
And a spokesman for Derby City Council said: “This site is privately owned by a consortium of Persimmon, Redrow and Peveril Homes and is proposed to be transferred to the Council under the Section 106 agreement for the Varsity Grange development.
“We are aware of the issues with the footpath surface and have informed the owners we expect them to carry out improvements brought up to a standard before it will be possible for the Council to take on ownership.
“The developers need to resolve those outstanding issues as soon as possible.”