Marie ‘terrified’ after falling into open drain

A DU N DE E ma n h a s sa id h is pa rtner is “terrified to the leave the house” after she fell down an open drain in the city centre.

James Allison claimed the council has not responded to him after Marie Diduca, 49, fell down the drain at around 10.30am on Monday.

The duo were walking and Marie turned to check on him as he walks with crutches.

In doing so, she fell through the open hole, opposite Specsavers on the Murraygate.

James, from the Hilltown, said: “It was an open drain in the middle of the town, she never saw it, she was looking back to see where I was.

“Her whole leg went right down. There wasn’t any cover on it, just a straight hole.

“A man and woman had to help me pull her out of it.

“I’m really grateful to the guy and lady – I didn’t get their names.

“Marie’s ankle is all swollen and she’s got bruises round her knees.

“She’s terrified to leave the house now.

“She’s meant to be my carer, but now I’m having to run about doing everything.”

Just days before the incident, Marie had a surgical boot removed from her leg that she was wearing because she had fractured her ankle.

James, 59, added: “She put her arm out first to stop her smashing her face on the road.

“I told the council about it and they said ‘do you want to claim against us?’

“I phoned them as soon as I got back to the house. Someone was meant to phone back but they never did.

“I phoned them yesterday and they said all the lines are busy and someone would get back to me.

“Marie is wanting compensation for it. If that had been an old person or somebody who was partially sighted it could have been really bad.”

James added he believed the drain had been uncovered for a few weeks and claims that when he was on the phone to the council they told him the drain had already been reported.

A spokesman for Dundee City Council said: “Any claim that the council receives for personal injury is dealt with on its merits and we respond directly to the claimant or their representatives as quickly as practically possible.

“We would always ask someone to submit an email or claim form in the first instance which can be found at the council’s website.”

James and Marie and her swollen foot.