As a new father, Geoff Holt liked nothing better than to join his wife and baby son on family outings to Shedfield Common.

But now the 36-year-old, who is confined to a wheelchair after a swimming accident left him paralysed, can't reach the common because of a steep kerb on a layby.

He says he is forced to sit in the car and watch while his wife, Elaine, pushes the pram around the recreation ground.

Geoff, who lives in St Anne's Lane, Shedfield, said: "The problem is that the kerb is eight to 10 inches high and it's impossible for my wife to bump me up it."

He said it was the only way to access the common by car and the roads were too busy to walk.

The former professional yachtsman is angry because he says he wrote to Shedfield Parish Council more than a year ago, asking for a dropped kerb.

Parish chiefs say it is a matter for county council as the highways authority. The request was passed on and county surveyors promised to look into it - but nothing has been done.

Geoff said: "Is it really that difficult to drop a kerb? It is such a simple thing yet it would make all the difference to me to be able to take part in this activity with my family."

Geoff, who is vice-chairman of Sailability, a national sailing charity for the disabled, said that, after receiving two letters assuring him that the matter was in hand, he was upset to read in the parish council newsletter that a dropped kerb could have "serious ramifications".

Geoff said: "Despite writing to every parish councillor over a month ago, not one had the courtesy to reply. They talk about ramifications, but again not one of them had the courtesy to explain."

He feels the parish council should be piling on the pressure to get the job done.

Marilyn Warn, chairman of Shedfield Parish Council, said: "It is not a parish matter, it is a highways matter. We have contacted the county to ask them to do the job and we have written to Mr Holt. We are waiting for the county to get back to us."

A Hampshire County Council spokesman said the request was "reasonable" and that a highways officer would be happy to meet Geoff and discuss his request in more detail.