AN ELDERLY resident was cut off from her care workers after roadworks in Braintree left her “marooned”, it has been claimed.

Katherine Moule, 69, from Braintree, says her 93-year-old mother Pamela Watson was left stranded in her home at Skiddaw Close for several days when roadworks appeared on nearby Derwent Way.

Katherine says the resurfacing operation lasted more than a week until August 16 and cut off access to the horseshoe-shaped close by blocking both its entrances.

“It marooned them in there,” she said.

“My mum is 93 and has mobility issues. She also has problems with her vision. She has carers come in three times daily.

“They do a lot of personal care. They bathe her, they make sure she gets a hot meal in the middle of the day.”

Katherine said the roads could be accessed by car at times, but only if a worker was on hand to move the bollards that were blocking the road.

She said: “I found it very difficult to get in. I had to come out on the first day to take her out shopping. I hit the underside of my car on the raised iron works.

“There were a couple of days when there wasn’t much vehicle access at all.

“One of the care workers managed to get to her by foot but it’s only because she knew the way around. The other couldn’t get in. It just made it very very tricky.”

“This poor girl she phoned my mum and said ‘I can’t get to you.’”

She added: “My mum, because of her age, has been through a war and she’s still got that spirit and her determination, so she managed – but she shouldn’t have had to.

“With a little planning and foresight, surely it would have been possible to do this work in two stages thus leaving one entrance or exit free at all times.

“Admittedly the signs were up advertising the intention to carry out this work but there were no legible dates on these signs.

“If they have to do it again they should only close one entrance at a time.”

Essex highways has been approached for comment.