Waterlooville man's two year battle to get '˜dangerous' fence fixed

Raymond Bastin first contacted the council '˜at least two and a half years ago' after discovering part of the fence along Purbrook Heath Road, near The Rowan Hospice, was missing. 

But now he fears that someone may have had an accident and fallen through the gap down into the stream below. 

'˜I walked passed the other day and saw a bike and someone's shopping at the bottom of the slope,' Mr Bastin explained. 

'˜I contacted the county council at least two and a half years ago. I sent them an email. They haven't responded at all.

'˜And then a few weeks ago, I rang them about it and nothing has been done and someone has had an accident.' 

Mr Bastin has been a resident of Waterlooville for '˜15/20 years' and said that until recently the fence had always been in place along Purbrook Heath Road. 

He added: '˜Part of the fence has been missing for the last two and a half years. It is a sheer drop, it's dangerous because it is back from the pavement. 

'˜Someone clearly had an accident.

'˜I am sure they have had an accident and I am sure there have been a few misses because it is very narrow along that road. 

The News contacted Havant Borough Council for comment about the fence but were told that the fence would actually be the responsibility of the Environment Agency.  

A spokeswoman for the Environment Agency said: '˜We were contacted by Havant Borough Council yesterday regarding a gap at the end of a timber fence where the Purbrook Heath Stream flows out a culvert (which passes under London Road and Purbrook Heath Road) and into a lined channel. 

'˜We do not know how long this section of fence has been missing.

'˜As part of our Public Safety Risk Assessment process, the Environment Agency will replace the missing fence this week.'