A RECREATION centre for the elderly is dangerous following unfinished refurbishments, a Winsford woman has claimed.

The woman has an elderly relative who uses the centre in High Street, Winsford, and is worried that pensioners have been allowed to move back in to the centre while it still resembles a "building site".

The woman, who asked not to be named, has warned users of the centre that it is an accident waiting to happen.

She said: "The Dingle Recreation Centre opened last Monday. It's been closed for nine weeks for refurbishments and the elderly people have been at Winsford Civic Hall instead.

"They've now moved back to the Dingle Centre but it's a shambles. Somebody is going to be killed.

"The refurbishments haven't been finished. There is a cement mixer outside and inside there are things lying about everywhere. Pipes in the kitchen are leaking and broken.

"It may be finished but it still looks like a building site. This is dreadful."

She urged action to be taken to rectify the problem.

"Somebody is going to have a bad fall if something is not done. I'm a relative of somebody who uses the centre and I think the council should have a look at this mess. I do not know what they are playing at."

She added: "If something is not done immediately, it could be another nine weeks of discomfort for the people using the centre.

"The atmosphere is terrible because the people are unhappy. It's not fair.

"The council should move them back to the civic hall until these problems are rectified."

A spokesman for Vale Royal Borough Council admitted that work was still ongoing at the centre but said that the authority had not received any complaints.

He explained: "We have spent £75,000 refurbishing and building to a higher standard at the Dingle Centre. It will improve existing and new opportunities.

"The centre did reopen on Monday of last week and as far as we were aware there were no problems.

"Last Tuesday night there was a meeting of the joint management committee and the visitors group where the refurbishments were welcomed and there was no mention of any problems.

"The centre will be finished officially on May 7 and a small reopening ceremony has been arranged for June."

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