FOR almost 20 years Abigail Symons from Harrowbarrow has been acting as 'council maintenance worker' to ensure the public can safely access the post box outside her home — but at the age of 82 she says she has had enough! Mrs Symons has been cutting the grass, trimming the hedges, filling the pot holes and even refixing the boulders knocked down by large lorries who hammer down the road beside her house — but she told the Times this week: 'I can no longer do the council's work.' Calstock parish councillors last week heard how Mrs Symons had gone out in all weathers to repair the damage made by vehicles who frequently churned up the mud and grass — and had even had to suffer verbal abuse at the hands of lorry drivers. Mrs Symons said: 'The post box is used by everyone in the Rising Sun area and someone needs to maintain this area to prevent people hurting themselves. 'A lady tripped in the pot hole and a boy came off his bike recently. There are people who come in wheelchairs who cannot get through the mud — they should not have to put up with this.' Mrs Symons, who suffers from arthritis, said she was very upset 18 months ago, when county council staff who were doing remedial work in the area said they could not fill in the pot holes at the post box. 'I had to write a letter to get someone to come out and do it. I do not like confrontation and do not want people to think I am a cantankerous old woman. 'I would just like someone to take responsibility — it would be for the benefit of the local community.' Over the past two years, the pensioner and her neighbours have highlighted the problem with the county council and parish councillors. They had asked if a weight or length restriction could be put on the road to stop the large lorries, which were the main problem. Parish members said it was very difficult to put a restriction on vehicles but a 30mph speed limit had been put in place which might help. They said highways maintenance was not in their remit but they agreed to write a letter to the highways department urging that work be carried out. Divisional surveyor Steve Ewing said the verge formed part of the highway and was the responsibility of the county council, which would respond to any telephone calls or concerns from the parish council about highway safety at that site. Mr Ewing said: 'We are grateful to Mrs Symons for what she has done to improve that area. 'I have been in correspondence with her and she has been happy with what we have done in the past when we have been alerted to a problem. We will continue to do that and it will also be on our schedule of sites which we visit regularly to carry out maintenance.' He added that he would be looking at the access to the post box to see if needed to be 'hardened up' for disabled access.