A PEDESTRIAN has been ordered to pay court costs after losing a claim against a council for personal injuries after tripping over a kerbstone.

The Lancaster man was visiting Haslingden in 1997 when he tripped over a raised kerb and fell into the road in Bury Road.

He claimed against Rossendale Borough Council and Lancashire County Council for personal injuries.

But a Preston County Court judge ruled that the two authorities had not been negligent and accepted that the raised kerb at that spot was an accepted design feature.

The judge also pointed out that users of the highway had a certain responsibility for their own actions.

The claimant was ordered to pay the costs of the proceedings.

County Coun Tim Ormerod, vice-chairman of Lancashire County Council highways committee, said: "The fact that Lancashire County Council and Rossendale Borough Council have been successful in defending this claim means that the Lancashire taxpayer has saved around £6,000, money which can now be spent on maintaining the county's roads.

"Claims of this nature against the highways authority will always be defended in order to protect taxpayers' money."

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