71-year-old Leonard Edwards was shopping with his wife in Newtown on February 19 when he stepped onto a loose slab at the same time as a person heading towards him stepped on the opposite end and sent him "flying through the air".

As a result of the accident Mr Edwards tore the tendons in his arm and has suffered possible damage to the cup where the arm joins the shoulder. However, Powys County Council has refused to take responsibility for the accident and Mr Edwards will receive nothing in terms of compensation.

Since the accident occurred all the paving slabs on Wesley Street, which heads towards Argos as you turn off Broad Street, have been replaced.

"I have suffered a severe injury as a result of Powys County Council's negligence yet somehow they do not want to know," he said.

"An assessor from Powys County Council inspected the site where I fell and they have since changed all of the slabs. For them to go ahead and change all the slabs pretty much shouts out that they accept it was their fault, but they are just leaving me to hang out in the cold.

"As a result of this loose slab I now have a life disablement and suffer extreme pain for many hours of the day – every night as I go to bed I have to wrap my arm in old flannel and put a leg warmer on it because if it gets cold it really hurts."

When he took the tumble he suffered a lot of bruising and his fragile body was hugely shaken up.

"I couldn't have looked any worse if I had been in the ring with a professional boxer, my injuries were that bad," added Mr Edwards, whose £176 glasses also smashed as result of the fall.

"The fall was not my fault, but as a result of it I have had to pay money for new glasses, various trips to the doctors, and my daughter had to travel two hours to collect me from the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

"I don't want to sound like I am making a fuss, but I bet my bottom dollar that councillors get paid 40 pence for every mile they drive!"

A spokesperson for Powys County Council said: "We do not comment on individual claims however any claim the council receives is handled by the Council's insurers and is considered carefully against the relevant legislation.

"Our highways network is also subject to a comprehensive inspection regime undertaken by highway inspectors."