INTIMIDATED pensioners have called for Pioneer Square to be pedestrianised after an 82-year-old was injured by a skateboarder.

People living at Hanover Gardens retirement village in Bicester say they are frightened to go food shopping as a result and have been forced to walk the long way home to avoid confrontation.

It comes after resident Nancy Webb was left bruised after a skateboard was kicked at her ankle when she asked a group of cyclists and skateboarders to let them past.

A plea has since been made to nearby Sainsbury's, which owns the land, to help stop crowds congregating outside the shop's entrance and a call made to pedestrianise the area.

Ms Webb, who has lived at Hanover Gardens for four years, said: "I am frightened to go down there after being hit with the skateboard, I have to go the long way round even though we live directly opposite.

"One day we went down and they wouldn't let us through and the alleyway was blocked with their bikes and skateboards. I asked them to move but just got a load of verbal back and one time they kicked the skateboard at me.

"I had only just had a hip operation and it gave me a really swollen ankle. It had me in tears.

"I am 82-years-old I do not need it, I came to live here at Hanover so my family know I am safe but I don't feel safe going down there anymore.

"There is a lot of us who feel the same."

The retirement estate in Bicester's town centre is across the road from Sainsbury's superstore which was built as part of Pioneer Square in 2013.

The project was built as part of plans to revitalise the town centre and included the seven-screen cinema and a number of smaller shops.

Hanover estate manager Tracey Dias-Gunawardena said: "I think it has been an on-going problem but has been highlighted recently after one resident was shopping just before Christmas and was knocked into with a skateboard."

Ms Dias-Gunawardena added: "More recently two ladies were shopping at the weekend and couldn't come down the alleyway because of all the bikes and skateboards.

"They asked them to move but were just laughed at.

"Both ladies are in their 80s and they had to walk the long way home - its not right whether you are in your 80s or a mum with her young child."

Resident of six years at Hanover Gardens Ray Danzey, 72, said: "I have had it in the past and always said somebody is going to get hurt one day.

"The rate people fly down their on bikes or skateboards could cut someone in half, people ride through pretty fast and it should be stopped."

An issue of cyclists in the town had been raised previously when businesses were worried shoppers would be put off by youths gathering in the town.

Sheep Street has been pedestrianised but Bicester Neighbourhood police officer PC Vicky Lees said their hands are tied with Pioneer Square as it is private land.

She added: "We have had lots of complaints and are doing as much as we can, we have a good working relationship with Sainsbury's and will be helping to address this."

As owners of the thoroughfare in Pioneer Square Sainsbury’s spokeswoman Cheryl Kuczynski said: "We want our customers to be able to shop with us safely.

"We’ve discussed this issue with both the police and with local residents and we log all incidents of anti-social behaviour with the police.

"We’ll continue to explore options with the police and with the local residents."