A daughter fears for her parents’ safety after officials refuse to fix their back fence that was destroyed by Storm Doris in February.

Sandra Norman, 64, said her parents, Doris White and Reginald White, 90 and 92, are “frail and vulnerable” and she is worried that intruders can too easily access their home.

Her mother has Alzheimer’s disease and is immobile and unable to speak, and her father suffers from short-term memory loss – she said neither of them know that the fence is broken or are aware of the danger they are in.

The couple live in a Thrive Homes property in South Oxhey, but Mrs Norman said neither Thrive Homes or Three Rivers District Council are willing to help.

She said: “I’m just so frustrated that no one will help them. The council said it’s Thrive’s problem but Thrive sent out a surveyor who said they won’t fix it either.

“They’ve said it’s my parents’ responsibility to fix it, which is just ridiculous. Not only are neither of them fit enough, they also cannot afford to fix it. I’m also too small to lift it up.

“I really fear for their safety. Their back garden is so exposed and anyone could just walk in.

“The worst thing about it all is that the surveyor who came, saw the situation – he saw how vulnerable both my parents are and it makes me so upset that they are refusing to help.”

But a Thrive Homes spokesperson said it will only fix fences that border communal areas.

Sarah Thomas, a spokesperson for Thrive Homes, said: "It is our responsibility to maintain fences that mark a public boundary or communal grounds but all other fencing is the responsibility of our tenants.

“The property in question was visited on March 14, at which point it was confirmed that the damaged fencing was indeed the responsibility of the tenants that live in the property.”

Tim Ashby, communications officer at Three Rivers District Council, said: “the issue is between the residents and Thrive Homes”.