A MUM who lost seven teeth after tripping over a deep pothole has blasted the local council for not taking responsibility.
Business owner Alison Smith, 48, shattered nearly all of her after falling into the hole in a dark area in Ventnor, on the Isle of Wight.
Alison Smith lost seven of her front teeth after tripping on a pothole Credit: Solent
The cafe owner suffered life-changing injuries which led to the closure of her cafe Credit: Solent
Horrifying photographs show the extent of her devastating injuries, which left her face swollen and bruised.
The owner had been on her way to meet her daughter when she fell at around 7.40pm in January 2025 on the dimly lit pavement.
Alison said that her daughter, who was 17, had been left “traumatised” after finding her mum covered in blood.
She added that she was not able to see her own mother, who’d recently had a operation, as the sight of her injuries would be too distressing.
Alison tripped on a pothole in a dark unlit area while going to meet her daughter Credit: Solent
She said she was left covered in blood after the fall, ‘traumatising’ her 17-year-old daughter Credit: Solent
The mum said the council are refusing to take responsibility for the pothole Credit: Solent
Alison said she felt the council had ‘dismissed’ her accident, after backfilling the pothole Credit: Solent
“I just tripped on the pothole, and my foot got caught in the pothole, in the lip on the edge, and I fell on my hand and knocked all my teeth out,” she said.
“My hand now isn’t fully recovered. I can’t lift myself up on it.
“I went to A&E because I thought I had smashed my cheekbone.
“I reported it and had a shameful response. They filled the in within a few days, which says they are liable.”
She added that her daughter thought she had been stabbed or attacked given her horrific .
Alison had extensive dental work done at her own expense, but could not afford implants because she’d received no compensation.
A plastic plate, inserted into the top and bottom of her mouth, makes it difficult for her to eat.
Serious hand injuries meant she had to close her beloved Gaslight Cafe in Sandown as she was unable to hold trays or lift heavy objects.
“I’m still so upset about it,” she said.
“Island Roads are saying they’ve done enough and have now filled the pothole in.
“But if it caused this much injury to me, old people could have died if they had gone flying like I did.”
She said she had considered the ‘no win no fee’ compensation claim but after recently losing both parents had decided to delay action.
“I just want someone to take responsibility for this,” she said.
“I’ve paid the price, and my daughter, who found me all bloodied after the fall, is still traumatised by it.
“It’s so unfair. Something that was not my fault has ruined my life, while Island Roads has just filled the holes and resurfaced the whole road and dismissed me.”
An Island Roads spokesperson said: “We have every sympathy for Ms Smith and for the injuries she has sustained as a result of this incident.
“The road was inspected in October 2024 as part of its routine six-monthly inspection and in line with accepted industry practice.
“No defects were identified that met the threshold for intervention either at that time or during our investigation following the incident.”
They concluded that following an investigation, they were not able to accept liability in this case.
The pothole referred to in the claim – and another one nearby – were backfilled as part of the council’s “outgoing maintenance”.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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