A JUDGE has ordered Wiltshire County Council to pay compensation to Chippenham pensioner David Rowlands, after he collided with one of its street signs.

The 69-year-old was taken to Chippenham Community Hospital by ambulance with blood streaming from his head on March 21 last year after he walked straight into the lamp illuminating a Keep Left sign outside the Bridge Centre.

He demanded compensation from the council, claiming the sign was too close to head height at 5ft 4ins above street level, and was not clearly visible.

But the council refused to accept liability and fought its case, employing a barrister to challenge Mr Rowland's solicitor Andrew Herridge.

The case, which cost the taxpayer thousands of pounds, ended with the county council being ordered to pay Mr Rowlands £600 in compensation and £3,853 in legal costs. The council is also believed to have spent more than £3,000 in legal costs fighting the case.

Mr Herridge, of Wood and Awdry in Chippenham, said: "It is unusual for a county council to spend so much money fighting what was a comparatively small case which could have been rectified much earlier. I find that quite sad as a taxpayer."

Mr Rowlands, of Eastern Avenue, feels he has won a common sense victory.

In court, two other Chippenham residents who had walked into the same sign, gave evidence.

The council claimed what Mr Rowlands had judged to be a pavement was a traffic buffer, but the judge ruled it was in fact a pavement.

However District Judge Thomas found Mr Rowlands to have had 50 percent contributory negligence because he was not looking straight ahead although this still meant the county council was obliged to pay costs.

A county council spokesman said: "We only defend ourselves when we truthfully believe we have a case."