RESIDENTS in parts of Langlee are demanding Scottish Borders Council lighten up.

Furious householders around Aster Court have been left in the dark over the winter, following renovation work on blocks of houses.

And the blacked-out areas have grown with a recurring fault in street lights between Primrose Bank and Marigold Drive.

Karen Walker has twice tumbled since the terrace-end lights were taken down.

And several of her elderly neighbours have also suffered falls.

Mrs Walker told the Border Telegraph: “When they started to put new cladding on the houses they took the lights down - now most of the car park and path is in darkness.

“The street lights further down have gone out as well making it even worse as there’s hardly any light at all around the houses.

“I have fallen twice after tripping and sliding on ice - you can’t see where the ice is as it’s so dark.

“There are a lot of old people who live here and a few have also fallen because the lights aren’t working - others won’t go out now.” Mrs Walker believes the local authority isn’t taken her complaints seriously.

The 36-year-old added: “We have reported the faults several times. The street lights were fixed but went out again after about a month and there’s still no sign of the lights going back up on the ends of the houses.

“The last time I went into the council contact centre the lady told me that I should take better care when I’m walking.” New cladding on properties in Langlee is still ongoing.

And Scottish Borders Council is waiting on the contractors giving them the nod before replacement lights can be fitted.

A spokesman for the local authority said: “Cladding works are being carried out to a number of houses in the area which has required the council to remove lights that are attached to the buildings so the works can go ahead.

“Due to the nature of the material being used for the cladding works, the lights will not be re-attached to the walls, with the council instead installing lighting columns with new luminaires.

“This replacement programme can take place when the cladding works are completed and the scaffolding is removed.” The local authority admitted there was a recurring problem with a section of street lighting.

But engineers were due to carry out permanent repairs.

The spokesman added: “The section of lights between Primrose Bank and Marigold Drive have been intermittent due to a fault in the area. It was initially reported to SBC in December last year and after it was discovered the fault was related to an underground cable network, it was repaired on December 16.

“The same fault was then reported to the same section of lights on February 3.

“Council staff attended the same day and a temporary fix to keep the lights working during the hours of darkness was put in place until a full repair can be carried out.”