Walkers are being warned about a hazardous footpath in Saundersfoot by one user who had a muddy experience earlier this week.

Teresa Smith is now calling on Pembrokeshire County Council to take action and issue a warning to people not to use this particular footpath access way into the village whilst the wet weather continues until it has had a chance to dry out.

The incident was reported on Tuesday to Pembrokeshire County Council’s highways department and it has been suggested to the county council that warning signs are placed not to use the path until the problem is resolved.

Teresa was walking towards Saundersfoot along the old colliery tramway public footpath from the top of Valley Road down the Incline across the end of Westfield Road (where there has recently already been a flooding incident) and continues into the village joining Brooklands Place.

Explained Teresa: “About 250-metres after crossing Westfield Road, there is a mud quagmire some 10-20-metres in length. The path is generally muddy in the winter, but since erection of a very high breeze block wall at the rear of a Westfield Road property abutting the old colliery tramway, it would appear the related works have disturbed the ecology and severely affected the drainage in this area.”

On trying to pass through the mud via the righthand edge, and not realising just how deep the mud was even at the edge in the middle of the mud area, Teresa got stuck in the mud. She sank up to her shins. Fortunately her friend, Sam, who is also from Saundersfoot, came to her aid and found a plank which allowed her traction in the mud to eventually pull her friend out, but Teresa lost her walking boot off her foot in the process - it is still buried and stuck in the mud.

Teresa, minus a boot and covered in mud, had to limp home to shower and change.

Teresa later spotted an abandoned flipflop in the mud in the same area - so clearly someone else has had an issue, too, though she’s not sure why they were walking in flipflops at this time of year!

Teresa has now asked the local authority when they investigate, if they can retrieve the walking boot.

Teresa is uninjured and laughing about the matter despite being irritated she has lost her walking boot.

When we contacted Pembrokeshire County Council for a comment, a spokeswoman said: “The area in question suffered a leak from a water main recently and, although we understand this issue has been resolved, the problem caused the area to become even muddier than usual. The problem has also been compounded by the recent wet weather.

“Pembrokeshire County Council is in the process of putting up signs to advise pedestrians not to use this route until further notice.”