YESTERDAY I accompanied my wife to Darlington Memorial Hospital.

She needed a plaster cast put on her arm after slipping on ice at Teesside Park, breaking her wrist in two places.

After excellent treatment at the hospital, we decided to walk to my daughter’s house in Cockerton.

It was frightening. Every path was covered in uneven compacted ice so we had to walk on the road, avoiding the side streets which were worse than the paths.

On talking to various people in my home town of Barnard Castle, several had been to Darlington to do their Christmas shopping and had left early as it was just too risky walking.

I think council workers in Barnard Castle should be congratulated for keeping the streets relatively ice and snow free.

Why should staff at Darlington Memorial be run off their feet treating ice-related injuries just because the managers of Teesside Park and Darlington Council can’t seemingly summon the necessary resources to protect people.

I find it incredible that fit people drawing dole and inmates of young offenders’ institutions are not drafted in to help out in these circumstances.

Alan Dodgson, Barnard Castle.