Eight OAPs a day treated for slips and falls during winter snap

1013 Lothian over-65s have been treated this winter.

New figures show a total of 1013 Lothian residents aged 65 or over were taken to hospital during last year's cold snap, compared with 963 pensioners the previous winter.

The figures were released as more snow was forecast to fall in the Lothians and temperatures set to drop as low as minus 5C later in the week.

It has sparked concerns that there will be an even higher number of falls recorded for the winter of 2010-11.

Councillor Jeremy Balfour, leader of the Conservative group on the city council, said: "Certainly anecdotally, I have heard of lots of people that have had falls already. I understand GPs and A&Es have been very busy dealing with this and I expect the figure to go up again for the winter of 2010-11.

"Clearly the bad weather always has an effect on elderly people and people with disabilities particularly. I think the message has to go out that when it's snowing and icy, don't go out unless you have to because there is a real danger that you might fall and injure yourself."

The figures also show that there were 738, 889 and 998 pensioners in the Lothians admitted to hospital as a result of falls during the winters of 2005-6, 2006-7 and 2007-8 respectively.

Labour's city health spokeswoman, Councillor Lesley Hinds, added: "I would assume the figures would rise again for this winter. Anecdotally people have said they have had difficulties when they have had to go out - a lot of the pavements are like black ice."

Meanwhile, the AA said it expected around 1500 breakdowns in Scotland tomorrow, when many people will return to work, after cars have been left sitting unused for up to a fortnight in cold, damp conditions.

A spokesman said: "That's double what we'd normally expect on a Wednesday in Scotland.

"Although the weather has been milder recently, the breakdown workload has remained high over the festive period due to people taking out cars that have been left sitting unused."

A spokesman for the city council said a team of gritters was on standby overnight to deal with any fresh snow.

Snow is expected to fall in the north of the country, including Aberdeenshire, towards the end of the week, but the Met Office said it was unlikely to reach the Lothians by then.

Forecaster Dave Rigby said: "It will turn colder across Edinburgh and the Lothians again this week with the frost returning, although it won't be as severe as what we have had."

Last month was the coldest December in Scotland for a century, with an average temperature of around minus 2C. The country's coldest winter month in 100 years came in February 1947, when average temperatures plummeted to minus 2.4C.