RESIDENTS in one the wealthiest parts of Brentwood say a lack of investment in footpaths is putting schoolchildren's lives at risk.
Julia White, 47, from Hutton Mount, says the "ruined" pavement outside her Ridgeway home forces pupils from nearby St Martin's Secondary School to walk in the road and "dice with death" every morning.
The footpath is not currently protected by a kerb and as a result water has drained onto it and turned it into a puddle of mud.
Houses in Hutton Mount can fetch up to £2.5 million.
The estate is home to West Ham midfielder Mark Noble and Rainham Steel boss William Ives, worth an estimated £266 million, according to the Sunday Times Rich List 2012.
Mrs White this week said she has been urging the Hutton Mount Association, which is responsible for the maintenance of the estate, to take action for the past seven years without success.
"I've probably contacted them around 50 or 60 times over the years," she said.
"I've sent them letters and even put up a sign asking people to complain but it was taken down.
"The kids walk out in the road – if they looked when they crossed it wouldn't be such a problem but they don't."
She added: "If they don't do something soon, someone's going to get killed."
The association has recently written to each home on the estate to request on average £1,000 for the next three years' maintenance.
Roy Mayo, 62, lives opposite Mrs White.
He said the association cleans out the ditch in front of his house once a year but believes it is time something more was done to improve drainage and protect the footpath.
"It's worrying with the kids and joggers having to walk and run in the road," he said.
"I think the association are duty bound to do what they get paid to do.
"You can't take the money and do nothing."
Ongar architect Martyn Pattie acts on behalf of the Hutton Mount Association.
He said: "Road repairs can be quite expensive.
"We spend probably close to £200,000 a year on road repairs.
"We've been short of funds recently and as soon as we get the funds in it should be done within the next few months.
"This is the first time in eight years we have requested funds from residents – we're doing everything we can but we have to be careful with how we spend money."
