Elderly Parkinson’s sufferer still in the dark over lights fault

Pensioner injured in fall after front doorstep left in pitch-dark because of lighting failure

An elderly Parkinson’s sufferer has been left with no streetlights outside his Kirkcaldy home for nearly three weeks.

Dennis Nevey, 72, said he had to use his community alarm after falling at his front doorstep in pitch-darkness and hitting his head off a wall.

He said his 47-year-old daughter also injured her leg on the way to her car because she could not see where she was going.

“I was going in the other night and the lights were out, and I fell,” said Mr Nevey.

“I have an alarm and I hit it to get someone. She said they were phoning an ambulance.

“They managed to get me up off the floor, and took my blood pressure and everything else.

“They took the stones out of my face. I had hit my head off the wall and had harling stuck in my face.”

Mr Nevey claimed he informed the council on March 8 that the street lights had not been working for a few days.

But the street was still in darkness this week when an engineer was sent out.

He said: “It’s unbelievable. It’s pitchblack out there, and the lane’s out as well. “It’s a joke. “The engineer has been out to look at the lamps and said the voltage is too low.

“He said he couldn’t do anything about it and it was up to ScottishPower.

“Apparently there have been a lot of lights out all over Fife.”

Gary Thomson, service manager of roads lighting with Fife Council, said: “We are aware of an ongoing issue with the street lights in Winifred Crescent, Kirkcaldy.

“Every time a fault has been reported, we have responded and tried to get the lights working again.

“Unfortunately there is an underlying fault on the power supply cable which we are working with ScottishPower to resolve as quickly as practicable.

“If anyone notices a street light out, they can report it by calling the council on 03451 55 00 11 or visiting FifeDirect.org and filling out the Report a Faulty Street Lighting form.”

It’s unbelievable. It’s pitch-black out there, and the lane’s out as well. DENNIS NEVEY

Pictures: David Wardle. Dennis Nevey had harling from his wall stuck in his face after the fall.