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Woman's legal action after bollard trip injury

Holly Nichols
BBC News, Bedfordshire
Reporting fromLeighton Buzzard
Alex Pope
BBC News, Bedfordshire
Jilly Fernandez Jilly, in a hospital gown, in a wheelchair, in a hospital, with her arm bandaged and in a sling, and a very swollen and bruised face. Jilly Fernandez
Ms Fernandez said she was taken to hospital immediately after she fell, for injuries to her face and a broken arm

A woman is taking legal action against a council after claiming she suffered severe facial injuries when she tripped over a collapsed bollard.

Jilly Fernandez, from Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire, said she still cannot feel the left-hand side of her face after falling in the town centre in December.

She said she had titanium plates in her face after she broke her nose, arm, her eye socket in three places, and chipped her cheekbone.

Central Bedfordshire Council, which maintains local roads, said it could not comment because of the "active personal injury claim".

Holly Nichols/BBC Jilly Fernandez, standing outside, by the side of a road, with bollards behind her, and shops in the distance. She has long blonde hair, tied back, is wearing a large silver necklace and a flower patterned jacket. Holly Nichols/BBC
Jilly Fernandez said the incident had affected her confidence when she goes out

The bollards were installed in Bridge Street about five years ago, but several are lying on their side.

"It was an accident waiting to happen," she told the BBC.

She explained that she was out shopping and crossed the road on 12 December when she caught her foot on the fallen bollard.

"I went down like a sack; I fell completely flat on to the left-hand side of my face and my face hit the curb."

She was rushed to hospital in an ambulance, and eventually had surgery on her face.

Ms Fernandez said the injury had "changed my whole life"

She said she had experienced a "long recovery" and that she still covered bruises with make-up.

"I can't feel the left-hand side of my face; my cheek area and teeth feel like stone in my mouth. It's 50/50 if I will get the feeling back," she said.

"I live with it daily; eating and drinking, I find it really difficult.

"It's changed my whole life - I feel like I'll never be the same again.

She wants the "extremely dangerous" bollard removed.

Holly Nichols/BBC Robert and Kim Greenaway, standing outside, both wearing black T-shirts, looking at the camera. There are a number of bollards behind them, shops and people in the distance. There are blue skies on a sunny day.Holly Nichols/BBC
Robert and Kim Greenaway, who run a local kitchen business in the road, said they knew of other people injured by the bollards

Robert Greenaway, who runs a kitchen business in the road, said "I just don't know why they're still there", adding: "Unfortunately we've seen way too many people tripping over the bollards."

A council spokesperson said: "There is an active personal injury claim relating to this location, which is currently progressing through the appropriate legal channels.

"As the case is ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further."

Holly Nichols/BBC A road in Leighton Buzzard, showing several bollards, two on the ground, with shops in the distance, a path and a road. Holly Nichols/BBC
Several of the bollards now lie flat on the ground

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