WALKERS could end up hurting themselves if a promised bridge over a Cowley brook is not built soon, a pensioner has warned.

As part of a legal agreement when planning permission was granted for 38 new homes in Leafield Road, developers handed over £10,000 to be spent on a bridge linking two halves of a footpath over a brook near the site.

But two years later the path comes to an abrupt halt with no bridge spanning the waterway, although the footpath either side of the water has been resurfaced and improved.

Frederick Allmond, 79, of Leafield Road, regularly walks his dog in the area.

He said: "They have laid a beautiful tarmac path through to it.

"But the trouble is now people have been laying bits of wood across the water through the stream which worries us because we think it could cause an accident.

"You have still got two concrete bits either side where the original bridge was and I don't think it's very safe.

"It's a very well-used footpath and you have to go quite a long way round because there's no bridge.

"We would go there more regularly if we could get over it - I'm pushing 80 so I can't just jump over it but some people do."

He added: "I think it's disgusting that they haven't done anything, the houses are all built and we still don't have a bridge.

"They can find hundreds of thousands of pounds for some things but they can't build us a little bridge which would definitely make a difference to a lot of people round here."

Oxford City Council spokesman Shey Cobley said: "The developer did give us money to build the bridge, but Oxfordshire County Council highways department went out to look at it to advise us what was needed and the county council has offered to actually build a wooden bridge.

"We are passing the money on to them now and it should be done in the next financial year.

"They cover highways so they are the experts."

She could not comment on the delay.

Oxfordshire County Council bridges manager Peter Brown said: "We have funding and will be constructing the bridge early in the 2008/2009 financial year.

"The bridge will be a simple wooden structure three metres wide to carry both cycle and footway."