POTHOLED roads, flickering street lights and inadequate drainage have stung isolated villagers in to action.

Pools fill in where taxi drivers fear to tread, say members of the newly formed Second and Third Avenue Residents Association down Astley Green.

"When it rains the roads flood because there is nowhere for the water escape through lack of drainage. Access to our houses is extremely difficult," says Association leader Andrea Bancroft.

"We even have difficulty getting rubbish removed as the dustcart gets stuck in the mud.

"Taxi drivers often refuse to venture down Peel Lane and many young and elderly people are left to walk down an unlit pot holed road, alone, at night."

And group secretary Debbie Richardson highlighted how road conditions hampered ambulance response, made wheelchair use very difficult and put children at risk.

Debbie has complained to the Council: "We are very concerned when children play out after it has rained. It only takes three inches of water for a toddler to drown - we have three times that."

Locals say children find skateboarding and roller skating near impossible and bicycling or ball games difficult. And they claim they keep mechanics busy replacing car exhaust systems which clout the roadway.

"We would like a Millennium street party but given the appalling state of our roads this won't be possible. We feel like the forgotten part of the village."

Second Avenue has been home to Vera Dekaat for 60 years. "I've never seen the road in a worse condition," she said in a letter which, with others, has been passed to the Borough Engineer's department, Cllr John Lea and MP Terry Lewis.

"I like my home, the area and my neighbours. My husband's family have also lived here for 55 years. His mum now needs a wheelchair. How does one push a chair in Peel Lane?"

Cllr John Lea said there were 650 unmade streets in the borough.

"It is unfortunate but we do not get any money from central government for adopting roads.

"We cannot create a precedent. The cost of making up roads is £350 per metre and that is what the residents would have to pay.

"Surfacing Peel Lane would be astronomical.

"Basically when you buy a new house you pay for the road and drainage in the agreed price.

"I made arrangements for road shavings to be made available for the residents to lay but they decided against doing that."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.