Cookham daughter's fears snow will block family Christmas (From Bucks Free Press)

Cookham daughter's fears snow will block family Christmas

7:29pm Monday 21st December 2009 in

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A DESPAIRING daughter fears she will not be able to spend Christmas with her elderly parents because her house is blocked in by snow.

Liz Parker, 58, retired, of Windmill Road, Cookham, has hit out at the lack of gritted roads and help for elderly residents to tackle the Arctic conditions.

Mrs Parker and neighbours unable to get their cars out, while going by foot has also become perilous.

“I can't get my car out of the drive, it's impossible and the pathways are lethal as well.

“My mother has had a fall today and we feel helpless because we can't get out. I just can't get there because it's horrendous, even worse than in February.”

Husband Brian Parker, 64, is disabled and has to use a wheelchair.

“It's disgusting there's a lot of elderly people around here confined to their homes. With Christmas just around the corner I can't see my mum,” Mrs Parker said.

Mrs Parker is concerned that without a dramatic improvement in weather and road conditions she will not be able to pick up her parents to have them over for Christmas.

Other elderly residents have expressed similar frustrations.

Gladys Snoding, 65, retired, of Strand Park, said: “To get out of here to the bus stop or the station we have to walk and it's like an ice rink. I think it's disgusting, the roads and pavements needs gritting.”

Mrs Snoding suffers from arthritis in the knees and husband Michael, 65, has a back problem.

“We had to cancel doctors appointments this morning because we can't get there. We can't risk it, it's too dangerous,” she said.

“We haven't been out since Thursday when it started apart from putting out the rubbish in the dustbin.

“It's just scary, when we were younger we wouldn't have taken any notice but if it goes one what if we need to get out in an emergency?”

Cookham Parish Councillor Mandy Brar has been helping to deliver essentials to older householders from her shop Hillcrest Store in Hillcrest Avenue.

He said: “ People are scared that they will fall down and break their legs. What do the council expect people to do? There are a lot of elderly people who can't get out anywhere, it's like an ice rink.

“ A lot of people are ringing for food deliveries because they don't feel safe.”

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, which is responsible for road gritting in Cookham, was unable to comment.