A PENSIONER injured when he fell over an open drain has called on council chiefs to make sure the same thing cannot happen to others.

Jim Letters, 74, was walking home with friends when he fell after his leg got caught in an open drain that had become covered with leaves.

He was badly shaken and suffered cuts and bruises in the incident.

The grandfather had been visiting friends when he was tripped by the hole near his home in Newcastle.

Now he has complained to council chiefs to make sure the same thing doesn't happen again.

Mr Letters, a retired crane driver, said: "The footpath isn't very well-defined. The lights are terrible and the street was covered with slippery leaves.

"I didn't see the drain and the next thing I knew I was lying on my face.

"My leg had disappeared into the hole."

He suffered cuts and bruises to his hands and leg and went to see his GP.

He said: "Luckily, nothing was broken but somebody could be badly hurt."

Newcastle council said that inspections of all roads are carried out twice a year in line with national guidelines.

A spokesperson for the council said: "We did not find any missing gully lids during the inspection of Mr Letter's road prior to his accident.

"We take immediate action to replace missing gully lids as soon as they are reported to us and we have now replaced the missing lid on this road."