WHERE has my street gone? That is the question of a confused pensioner, who says the street she has lived on for nearly 50 years has disappeared.

Betty Windass, who is registered blind, said that according to the latest road maps and SatNav systems, Chestnut Grove, in New Earswick, York, did not exist.

Betty, 83, said the problem started in the 1970s, when the road was closed to traffic, but had got worse recently due to an increase in motorists using SatNavs.

She said: "There are 108 houses on my street and my postal address is still Chestnut Grove, but according to road maps and SatNav systems, I no longer exist. After 50 years living here, I have disappeared.

"I should stop paying my rates because they say I'm not here anymore, but although I'd like to have a bit of fun, I don't think that would be a good idea.

"It is worrying me though. I'm blind and I rely on taxis and visitors, but no-one knows where I live. It's absolutely stupid.

"What would happen if somebody on our street needed an ambulance in an emergency? It wouldn't know where to go."

The nearest vehicular access to Chestnut Grove is in Willow Bank, where residents are able to reach their homes through a rear entrance. But Mrs Windass said the situation was too confusing: "The other week I had to go to the hospital, so I organised York Wheels to come and collect me. It was nearing my appointment when the driver rang to ask me if I was sure I lived in Chestnut Grove in New Earswick.

"I said of course I'm sure - I've lived here for nearly 50 years. He said he was using TomTom and it wasn't showing up and I think he thought I'd lost my marbles. He'd gone to another Chestnut Grove, in Acomb, and I had to give him directions to get here.

"Later that week, somebody from the Royal National Institute for the Blind was coming to see me, and again, I got a call asking me if I lived in Acomb.

"It seems ridiculous."

A spokesman for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, which owns the road, said they had notified the emergency services and improved signage to the street, but were happy to look into other ways of improving the situation. Coun Carol Runciman, who represents New Earswick on City of York Council, said she would investigate whether Ordnance Survey would be able to reinstate Chestnut Grove on its mapping system.

She said: "This is obviously a serious problem for residents living there and now we understand the problem, we will see if there's anything that can be done."

A spokesman for TomTom SatNav systems said the problem facing Mrs Windass could be solved by a new function, which allows TomTom users to create and amend roads directly on their device.

These updates can then be made available for other TomTom users to download.