RESIDENTS campaigning for Burnley Council to adopt an unmade road today revealed how an 87-year-old stroke victim had to be carried down the street because an ambulance could not get to the front door.

And neighbours living in David Street, Burnley, also described how a second pensioner was left at the top of the road after undergoing treatment for a broken arm because paramedics could not gain access.

Other residents now claim they are trapped in their homes because of the state of the street, which has remained out of council control for more than 25 years.

They asked the council to adopt the road in April and warned a tragedy could occur unless urgent action was agreed by the authority.

But the council today said they were only responsible for half the road and while they would repair it, residents were responsible for the expense of upgrading the other half.

Pensioner Ellen Durkin, 87, was taken by stretcher along David Street after suffering a stroke in her home while the ambulance had parked at the end of the street.

Mrs Durkin, 87, who is now recovering at home, also said husband William, 83, had been forced to walk part way home after breaking his arm when a second ambulance was unable to get down David Street.

Neighbour Eileen Rowland, 71, said she was virtually trapped in her home after falling on the road's uneven surface.

Mrs Durkin said a big problem was cars parked awkwardly in the street, which prevented vehicles from gaining access.

But today Burnley Council said it was not their responsibility and they could not force motorists to park evenly on David Street as they had no authority on unmade roads.

Mrs Durkin said: "I had to be carried down the street. It really upset me and my husband. We have lived here 32 years and it has always been the same. Everybody here pays their taxes but it has not changed anything.

"There has been no money to come and help us, nobody has done anything about it."

Neighbour Eileen, 71, agreed. She said: "It is absolutely disgusting that this should happen. They have been warned many times in the past."

Eileen, an angina sufferer, fell eight weeks ago because of the uneven road. After the fall she got ulcers on her legs and now has to depend on her family for shopping.

She said: "The same thing could happen to me. My daughter Suzanne has to get things for me because of the state of the road outside my house."

David Wood, head of engineering at Burnley Council, said: "Regarding parking the answer to the problem lies with the residents themselves. When they park they should look at how that affects others. We have no control over that.

"Measures are in place to have work done to fill in the ruts but not the whole area.

"People owning houses own up to the centre of the road and the responsibility for that half rests with them. To have the road fully made up to adoptable standard would require expense from residents."