KEEN footballer Katie Clarke suffered extensive bruising and bleeding after her leg got stuck in a water drain when she was walking home in the dark on Sunday evening. Katie, 21, of Manor Road, London Colney, was walking along Haseldine Road around 7pm wi

KEEN footballer Katie Clarke suffered extensive bruising and bleeding after her leg got stuck in a water drain when she was walking home in the dark on Sunday evening.

Katie, 21, of Manor Road, London Colney, was walking along Haseldine Road around 7pm with a friend when her right foot went down the partially-broken drain cover and her leg slipped down all the way to her groin.

She said: "It was frightening and I am not sure I would have been able to get out on my own but luckily I had a friend with me, who helped pull me out."

Katie, who is a forward for St Albans City Ladies FC, suffered bruising and bleeding but was otherwise unharmed.

She said she was more concerned about the fact that the broken grate was situated outside Cyril Dumpleton House, which provides sheltered accommodation for the elderly.

Her boyfriend reported the broken grate at 1.30pm the next day but it still had not been mended by first thing Tuesday morning.

A spokesperson for Herts Highways said: "We are sorry to hear about this incident and appreciate concerns about the potential for further accidents.

"Our policy is to repair any hazardous faults within 24 hours.

"We received a report about the broken drain cover at 1.40pm on Monday afternoon and a crew visited the site at 8am on Tuesday to refit the drain cover and make it safe. This is a temporary repair and the whole drain cover fitting will be replaced within the next 28 days.