A CHILDMINDER who tripped and injured herself in Poundbury is calling for brighter street lights to prevent more people from getting hurt.

At Prince Charles’s recent visit, the extension to Dorchester was heralded by designers as a pedestrian-friendly development designed to encourage residents to walk to its shops and businesses.

But Sue Bray, 59, has hit out at the claims, saying the lighting is ‘inadequate’ for anybody travelling on foot after dark.

She damaged her knee while walking to a course held there and blames low lighting for her fall.

She said: “It is so dimly lit it’s an absolute nightmare round there at night.

“When I fell it was pitch dark so I fell up the kerb and up a step.

“The lighting is totally inadequate.”

Mrs Bray said she tore her anterior cruciate ligament and dislocated a toe when she fell close to a veterinary surgery and the Relate offices.

She said: “Somebody could come out of those buildings upset and really hurt themselves “I’ll have my injury for the rest of my life but I just want them to look at it before somebody else injures themselves a lot worse.

“When I fell it was a very windy, wet and dark night and we had to hold on to the wall because you could not see where the step was.

“The ground does not help with all the gravel so when you try and push a buggy around there it is a nightmare.”

Poundbury development manager Simon Conibear said there were roads there with lighting lower than the minimum levels set by Dorset County Council for its roads.

He said: “All the areas adopted by Dorset County Council comply with their standards.

“We don’t believe in over- illuminating areas as it’s not in tune with current thinking about energy efficiency.

“Some people like more lighting and some prefer less and in villages people don’t like street lights put up.

“So it’s a compromise really between those who want lighting and those who don’t.”

Poundbury is built on Duchy of Cornwall land with many of its roads not adopted by – and therefore not subject to – the lighting requirements imposed by Dorset County Council.

Mr Conibear said the lighting where Mrs Bray fell was in an area under Duchy of Cornwall control and was lower.

He said: “The lighting is different at that site. It is more subdued in that area.

“I’m very sorry this lady had a trip at Poundbury but as far as we know that’s very rare.

“We are not aware of any significant accidents in Poundbury in the last 15 years.

“There may have been the odd scrape but nothing that’s been reported as an accident.”