Annette Phillis said the Telstra manhole became safe several years ago.

“It took years to get anyone to come and do something about it,” Mrs Phillis said.

“About three years ago a Telstra employee turned up and placed a yellow cage around the manhole.

“I spoke to him and said how pleased I was that Telstra had finally sent someone to fix it up only to be told that his job was just to place a barrier around the man hole and it was not his job to fix it.

“That’s the last we have seen of anyone from Telstra coming here to fix the problem.

“While the barrier is around the manhole, which is still dangerous, children can, and do, climb all over it and I am very concerned that one day one of the children will slip and fall down the manhole and get hurt.”

The offending hole is on the footpath outside premises owned by Mr and Mrs Phillis who also own the Hargraves General Store.

On Friday, Telstra’s Western Area Manager Darren Smith said the problem was “in the Telstra system” and would be fixed within two weeks.

“In the meantime we will check to ensure the site is guarded off correctly,” Mr Smith said.

“We will have a Telstra-preferred outside contractor dig out the old manhole and put in a new one as soon as possible.

“I appreciate the fact that the Hargraves community has drawn the problem to our attention.”