MOTORISTS were furious to see their car tyres blown by potholes on a main road, resulting in severe damage to their vehicles.

Retired surveyor Roger Shanahan described the potholes on the outskirts of Welsh Newton and at the top of Llancloudy Pitch as “beyond scandalous” after driving back and forth between his St Weonards home and Monmouth.

Roger said he saw a total of five burst tyres between four vehicles on Monday, all in half a mile of each other on the A466, and described the first pothole as being one metre-long, half a metre wide and 12cm deep.

The Beacon raised the matter on Monday night (February 16) with Herefordshire ward councillor Elissa Swinglehurst, who said she had already reported it to the council’s highways department and would make more inquiries.

And she said on Tuesday morning (February 17): “I am pleased to report that the team were out this morning dealing with the pothole in Llancloudy.”

Grade one potholes are supposed to be repaired as “a priority” as these are defects that can present a significant, immediate or imminent risk to highway users, or because there is a risk of further structural deterioration, although highways had reportedly told one driver they should be repaired by “the end of the month”.

Such potholes are ones which are defined as an emergency or at high-risk and deeper than 40mm-50mm.

A driver who hit one of the potholes yesterday, taking out two of his tyres, pulled into the roadside to find another crippled vehicle.

Darcy Mahoney, who has already suffered flooding in Monmouth and the loss of his works van and private car, said: “Today, while popping to Hereford in a replacement car to get power steering fluid for the replacement van, I hit a pothole and took out two tyres!

“When I realised the tyres had gone I pulled around the long corner to a place of safety where a nice lady was pulled up in front of me having called her husband who was attending to her own potholed flat tyre.

“When all was sorted (two hours later) and I was driving the car back to Monmouth another car was having its tyre attended too further down the road in Welsh Newton.

“Is there a national award for the most destructive pothole? Because I really think this one stands a chance at gold. Go steady out there folks. This one is the far side of Welsh Newton heading back towards Monmouth.

“The inconvenience and cost is one thing, but the state of the roads is forcing drivers to drive erratically and there’s obviously a danger to life being created by the lack of maintenance.”

Hilary Broughton says there was another awful pothole on the same road near Wormelow, and posted on Monmouth New Businesses Facebook page: “Both look bad enough to potentially kill motorcyclists.

“There were three cars stopped shortly after the one near Welsh Newton and one man had a wheel with a flat tyre in his hand. I don't mind rough roads but these are really bad and very dangerous.”