PENSIONERS cleaned their own street after becoming angry with what they claim was a lack of action by Darlington council.

People living in the town’s Middleham Road have said the road guttering in their street has not been cleaned for several months.

Pauline Templeton said Darlington Borough Council had refused to come and clean the road despite repeated requests from residents.

The 73-year-old decided to clear the road herself, with the help of her 77-year-old husband who was forced to come off his dialysis to assist.

Mrs Templeton told The Northern Echo she ended up filling 14 bags of rubbish, which required four separate journeys to a rubbish tip to dispose of.

She claimed the council even hung up on her on numerous occasions when she phoned to ask why the clean-up had not taken place.

“I have never known the road in this state – it is too much for old people,” said Mrs Templeton.

“The gutters were full – there was lots of soil and mud which was really difficult to clean.

“A few weeks ago, the council sent someone down and we said the road needed cleaning, but no one has been seen since.”

Others who live on Middleham Road, including a couple in their 80s, have also expressed concerns about the alleged lack of action from the council.

One resident said he had “not seen a soul round here” in recent months.

A Darlington Borough Council spokesman said: “We were alerted to concerns about leaves on the footpath in Middleham Road via Twitter in late December and a sweeper was sent out to clear the footpath within a couple of days.

“Some local residents did speak to the sweeper driver, who advised them that at that time we did not know when the road would be swept.

“Staff returned on Wednesday morning and all pavements and roads have been swept, although we could not access all areas due to parked vehicles. But these will be cleared manually by the end of the week.”