A 70-year-old cyclist was left unconscious for almost an hour after her bike hit a trench left exposed by builders.

Passers-by found bloodied and bruised Judith Heale, who also suffered a fractured eye socket and black eyes after the incident on Mill Lane, Lostock.

Now she and other residents are renewing their calls for checks on Westchurch Homes, which is building a housing development nearby.

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A controversial plan to build 13 homes at Lostock House Farm was given approval in April. Since then, residents have complained and raised concerns about what they claim is the poor standard of works being carried out by Westchurch Homes.

Ms Heale was cycling back to her Regent Road home after an afternoon of shopping when the accident occurred.

“I blacked out completely, but a witness told me my bike hit a partly-filled trench,” she said.

“I’ve used the byway a lot and it was always adequate until the construction work began.

“I feel very angry that it happened. I had to be taken to hospital for a head and neck scan, and test, and I still feel very muzzy and sleepy.”

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Although she is not particularly interested in compensation, Ms Heale fears others could suffer similar injuries.

“There’s lots of mud on the road from the contractor's vehicles, and all the traffic for Bolton Wanderer’s training academy uses it. I’ve never seen anyone clean the road.”

Mr Andrew Roberts, a leading opponent of the development, said: “It was only a matter of time before something like this happened. The state of the roads is beyond anything I have ever seen, it's an utter disgrace.”

Mr Roberts has notified the Health and Safety Executive of Ms Heale’s accident.

He said: “Mill Lane is a building site, it should be closed off completely to the public because it is dangerous, and still unsuitable for vehicles.

When contacted by The Boltton News, a spokesman for Westchurch Homes said he had no comment to make.