AN elderly woman tripped and fell heavily on the new paving stones being laid in Ripon market place.

On Tuesday, Mrs Lilian Hannam, aged 75, was taken by ambulance to Ripon hospital but later transferred to Harrogate, where she underwent an operation to remove her kneecap on Wednesday.

Mrs Hannam had travelled from Pateley Bridge and was Christmas shopping when she stumbled on the new pavement.

Yesterday, her husband, Richard, said his wife was "comfortable" in hospital, but was expected to be laid up for some time.

"Since my wife's accident, I have had a call from another woman who said her mother tripped and broke her hip last week. The authorities are going to have to do something about the uneven pavements or there are going to be more accidents and more compensation claims," he said.

Assistants at a nearby office, who saw Mrs Hannan fall, said they regularly saw people having difficulty with the new pavement. "We watch people daily having problems with the new surface," said one.

A passer-by, who helped Mrs Hannan after she fell, said: "This area of the market place is a tragedy waiting to happen to some unsuspecting pedestrian. The new pavement is diabolical and its whole irregular surface leaves a lot to be desired."

Work on the market place has been going on in phases for the past year. It is being funded by a lottery grant of well over £1.5m.

Coun David Parnaby, a member of both Ripon City Council and Harrogate Borough Council, said: "The roadway and market square have been laid with 'sets' which have produced an uneven surface and I have heard many complaints about the problems of the pavement, too.

"If two people have suffered serious injuries as a result of the surface, then obviously some urgent remedial action needs to be taken."

No-one from North Yorkshire County Council was available for comment as the D&S Times went to press.