'Walk was awful' (From Penarth Times)

'Walk was awful'

A FURIOUS Penarth mum is demanding the town's streets are cleaned up after an unpleasant week walking her daughter to school.

Valerie Crowley, of Willow Close, was asked to walk her daughter Elisha, nine, to St Joseph's School to help re-enact history for the Sully Road-based establishment's 125th anniversary celebrations. But it all turned sour when Mrs Crowley discovered the state of the streets.

She said: "It all sounded idyllic, I couldn't wait. We set off to walk from Willow Close through the pathway into Hawthorn Avenue, down Laburnum Way into Maple Road, along Glyndwr Road up into St David's Crescent and out through the lane on to Sully Road.

"But we had to dodge overgrown hedges, uneven pavements all the way, dog excrement, and litter by the ton."

One hedge was so overgrown only half of the pathway could be used.

She said: "The footpath is non-existent once over the other side of Sully Road to go on to St Cyres. It's just puddles, pot holes and a case of dodging the horses and manure.

"This was enough to put me off walking. I'm only too glad the week is over." She urged the Vale of Glamorgan Council to tidy up the mess and highlighted a hand-out encouraging people to walk to school.

"How can you embrace the benefits if the route to school is so poorly looked after?"

A council spokesman said: "The council will look at any issues raised by letter as soon as possible."