A council maintains it is not responsible for the upkeep of an access track covered in potholes.

Last week the Gazette reported that Halstead paramedic Dean Jay was concerned about the condition of the track behind his home in Bois Field Terrace, Halstead.

Mr Jay, who can only access his home by foot at the front, claimed Essex County Council (ECC) had gone back on an agreement to resurface the area because the poor state was down to private use.

ECC was unable to comment before the paper went to press, but a spokesman has now said: “Remedial works were undertaken to blacktop footpath in front of the properties.

“The section that is being referred to has been damaged by the private use of vehicles over a public footpath and there are no public vehicular rights at this location.

“Maintenance is for the public rights only i.e. pedestrians on a footpath, whereas the damage has been caused by private vehicles on this footpath.”