An elderly woman who relies on her mobility scooter to get around is pleading with drivers to think twice before parking on pavements.

Davette Spong, who lives in Kingsbridge, said she has been finding it hard to get into town because her path is often obstructed by parked cars.

The 90-year-old wants to raise awareness of the issue and its impact on the local community.

Davette said: “When half of the car is on the pavement it restricts the movement of my buggy.

“It is very anxiety-inducing and I can’t just drop off the pavement to get where I need to go.

“I try to get out every day because it’s good for me and my relationship with the town.

“I would just like people to think about how it must be when you find your way is blocked on the pavement, with a machine that you can’t drive on the road.”

Davette, who is retired and enjoys being outdoors, said that those she had spoken to had taken her concerns on board.

“The people I have spoken to about it do understand and have been helpful, but I don’t meet everybody,” she said.

“One neighbour apologised and moved her car. I don’t want to be unneighbourly, just for people to understand how it is when you get older and you can’t easily get out.

“Overall, Kingsbridge is a lovely place to live because people are very helpful and thoughtful.

“There’s just a few who don’t realise what other people are perhaps having difficulty with.”

Davette said she became aware of the issue after purchasing her new scooter a few months ago to help her become more independent.

“I’ve only had the buggy for a few months, but this must have always been a problem for people with buggies up this end,” she said.

She considered buying a smaller buggy to help solve the problem but decided not to as she feared they were less stable.

“I’ve seen people with smaller buggies, but I knew straight away that they were not suitable for me,” she said.

“They look very wobbly. At my age, it isn’t worth taking the risk.”

Davette feels that it is important for her to get out and about and participate in the local community.

She added: “Brown and grey bins blocking the way is not ideal, but it is possible for me to get out and move it.

"I collect waste goods from shops for a charity which helps schools in Uganda. It’s something I can do to be useful.

"I know how important it is to them to have the right equipment because I used to teach young children.”