A FOOTPATH in Ely has been plunged into a state of perpetual darkness because nobody is willing to claim ownership of the faulty street lights.

A narrow path that linked Downham Road and Wissey Way was upgraded, tarmaced and provided with street lights by developers five years ago as part of a housing development that saw dozens of properties build in close proximity to Ely College.

Since December however, residents using the path have had to use torches to light their way after dark as most of the lights have broken.

David Houghton, who lives in Wissey Way, approached both Cambridgeshire County Council and contractor Balfour Beatty over the lights but was told on both occasions that the lights were nothing to do with either of them.

Speaking to the Ely Standard, Mr Houghton said: “We have been trying to get people to attend to the lights but all they keep telling us is that they don’t belong to them.

Balfour Beatty and the council have referred me to several different people but both have been unable to find out who owns them

“I walk my dog quite regularly along the path but I’m having to use a torch to walk along there now because there isn’t much light.”

When contacted by the Ely Standard however, a spokesman for the county council progress was being made.

He said: “An informal footpath was improved and surfaced and lighting installed by the developer when a nearby private housing estate was built. But the footpath and lighting has never been adopted by CCC.

“However CCC is trying to establish how repairs to the lights can be made and who is responsible for paying for those repairs and ongoing maintenance.”