BOROUGH Mayor Roger Bennett is in the Alexandra Hospital after breaking his hip.
Councillor Bennett was walking his chocolate labrador Bracken in Morton Stanley Park on Monday morning, July 8 when the accident happened.
Undaunted, the veteran councillor is determined to be fit enough to attend Astwood Bank Carnival this Saturday, July 11 saying he hopes to be back in harness in a matter of days.
And he heaped praise on staff at the Alex and the people in the park who stayed with him and called for an ambulance.
“I’m in good hands – the staff at the Alex are marvellous as were the people in Morton Stanley who showed tremendous community spirit and care,” said Coun Bennett (Con, Headless Cross and Oakenshaw).
“I had to go to Worcester for a planning visit so I was walking the dog early,” he said.
“Bracken’s only 16-17 months old and loves playing with other dogs and this little dog ran across me, I went right across my dog, felt myself falling, and tried to roll left and ended up shattering my hip.
“It’s just one of those things but they’ve told me I’ve been active and should be up in a couple of days so should be quickly back in harness.”
Astwood Bank Carnival is one of the highlights of the mayoral year and Coun Bennett admitted he was very much looking forward.
Deputy Mayor Coun Gareth Prosser (Con, Crabbs Cross) is on standby but is still scheduled to represent the borough at the bandstand event in the town centre.
“It’s not good news; I know Roger was really looking forward to his mayoral year and I don’t think fixing hips is a five minute job.
“Having said that I asked the question when I spoke to him earlier and I think it is going to take an awful lot to keep him away from Astwood Bank Carnival.”
