Omagh woman left with disability after beach fall

by Laura McLoughlin

A TYRONE woman who has been left with a disability after suffering a serious fall at Rossnowlagh beach is calling on Donegal County Council to install signage to warn the public about the dangers of hidden holes in the sand dunes.

Carol Kempston, from Omagh, broke and dislocated her ankle in August and is still in chronic pain nearly a year on. As the busy summer season approaches, she wants to highlight the issue which she described as “a death trap”.

Carol has been a regular visitor to the popular seaside resort since she was a child.

“On August 14 last year, I was coming up from the beach and I fell on the sand dunes. What I discovered was there were loads of dangerous holes which were covered by nettles and grass and you couldn’t see them,” she recalled.

“When I fell, I broke and dislocated my ankle. It wasn’t a clean break and I broke the ankle in four places on one side. I was taken to Sligo hospital and I had metal plates and pins put in. I am in chronic pain. I was in a wheelchair to start with.”

Carol fears without signage put in place something like this will happen again. She wants Donegal County Council to take action and says she will erect signage herself if nothing is done.

“There is no signage to say that it is dangerous. I am afraid something like this will happen again. Nobody is taking responsibility for it,” she said.

Aged 49, Carol fears something like this could happen to an older person which could have serious consequences.

She is still attending hospital with the injury and has had to take time off work as a teacher. “I have been left with a permanent disability. I have pains going up and down my leg and I don’t have any strength in the ankle.”

Carol questioned who is responsible for maintaining the sand dunes and is hopeful that by raising the issue people staying in the nearby caravan parks and beachgoers will be more cautious when walking down to the amenity.

“This needs to be brought to peoples’ attention. People camp in this area which is scary,” she said.

“Over the years, the beach is starting to erode and there is no real care being given to it. At the very least the council should take responsibility and put up signage. There is funding there and people go to the beach for a good day of fun and they need to be safe.

“If this is left another while, there will definitely be another accident.”