A woman whose body is ravaged by cancer says her housing association has ignored her warnings about dangerous paving outside her house for three years.

Lynn Masdammer, of Butterwick, Garston, told Watford Community Housing Trust in 2016 the tiling outside her ground floor home was “dangerous” and slippery and that “someone was going to slip over” – but nothing was done, she claims.

The 56-year-old grandmother has stage four breast cancer, which has now spread throughout her body including to her spine, hips and jaw.

In April last year she slipped on the tiles she warned about and was on crutches for a fortnight.

After her fall, Mrs Masdammer put in a claim for compensation in July and at that point Watford Community Housing sent someone out to assess the area, but that was the last she heard.

She added: “I fell on the tiles in April 2018 injuring my hip. After I put in a claim, Watford Community Housing sent someone out who agreed it was slippery and that they would put down a non-slip paint.

“They put a test patch down and said they would leave it to see if it’s not slippery anymore.

“I have been contacting them since. They promised me the floor would be done before Christmas and it still isn’t finished. I’m at risk, I can’t take another fall.”

Mrs Masdammer said the housing association have accepted liability and arranged for a health check with an orthopaedic surgeon to determine the extent of her injuries and ongoing pain. She currently receives palliative chemotherapy.

But she feels the fall could have been prevented.

Speaking to the Watford Observer, she said: “When I started complaining I didn’t know I had cancer. I just thought someone was going to slip over.

“I told Watford Community Housing about the tiles in 2016 and nobody ever got back to me about it – not once.”

Since then, Mrs Masdammer’s cancer has advanced so much that a violent cough caused her to crack a rib.

She says her bones have become so brittle she “can’t take another fall”.

“I think it’s dreadful - full stop. But in addition to knowing about the cancer and me having a fall I just think it’s very unfair.”

“I think it could have been prevented, I didn’t have to have that fall. And still knowing my health they still haven’t done it.

“My fear is that I will have another fall and if I can break a rib through a cough, what will happen if I slip over?”

Mrs Masdammer also looks after four grandchildren while her daughter works.

On January 10, Watford Community Housing visited Mrs Masdammer promising to make safe the area outside her property this weekend.

Watford Community Housing director of operations Ben Johnson said: “Although we cannot comment on the specific circumstances of individual cases, the safety of our residents is our top priority and we always look to carry out any improvements that are needed as quickly as possible.

“Unfortunately, some non-standard works can take longer to carry out as we may need to source and test different products or appoint specialist contractors. We are continuing to work closely with the resident in this case and the works are scheduled to be carried out this week.”