A woman who suffered a nasty black eye after walking into a low-hanging bike rack has blasted its positioning as "madness".

Ioanna Theodoulou was at Croxley Station on her way to London on Monday evening (November 18) for a birthday meal when she smashed into the double decker rack.

Ioanna Theodoulou Ioanna Theodoulou (Image: Ioanna Theodoulou) She said: "It was around 6.15pm, a really dark wet and night, which harmed my vision. I walked round and literally collided with this metal bar.

"I felt it smash into the lower corner of my eye. There was a bleeding gash and my head and eye were both throbbing. I'll be wearing a black eye for my birthday celebrations this year."

Ioanna suffered the injury on Monday evening.Ioanna suffered the injury on Monday evening. (Image: Ioanna Theodoulou) The 38-year-old branded it "dangerous and crazy", adding: "I can't understand why it's located there. There's a very wide pavement space and a bicycle rack right in the middle.

Ioanna suffered the injury on Monday evening.Ioanna suffered the injury on Monday evening. (Image: Ioanna Theodoulou) "It's madness, the bicycle rack should be up against the station wall and not in the way, providing clearance for pedestrians."

Ioanna, of Croxley Green, also suggested there may be a flaw with how it is designed, urging Three Rivers District Council to review the situation and consider a redesign or relocation.

A spokesperson for the council told the Watford Observer that the rack is on land owned by Transport for London (TFL) and that it has contacted them to ask for action to be taken.

TFL has been contacted for comment.

After Ioanna shared an initial close-up of her wound on social media, other users expressed sympathy and agreed the rack needs to be addressed as a health and safety hazard.

One wrote:  "You’re probably not the first to have been injured in this way. And with it being at eye level you’re lucky it’s just a cut and black eye.

"Could be worse for someone else, so it needs to be checked by someone who knows health and safety rules, and then it needs fixing if necessary. "

Another added: "It's poor planning and you should take this further."