Potholes in Chorley burn holes in driver's pockets

Bekki Watts, 50, has popped two tyres in the space of two months totting-up a bill of £84.

She said: “I was taking it easy going down Town Lane in Whittle-Le-Woods and then the back wheel went down and I heard the tyre rip. I was stranded down this narrow country lane and had to ring my friend’s boyfriend to come and pick me up because I couldn’t get the wheel off myself. I was just so annoyed about it because I already burst one in Preston Road. I can’t keep paying out for flat tyres.”

Frustrated, she got in touch with Lancashire County Council to report the pothole and to file a claim for the cost of her new tyres.

“You need a degree to fill it in,” she said. “It’s as though they deliberately make it difficult.”

LCC has inspected both roads and identified the need for a number of repairs which a spokesman confirmed would be completed shortly.

In another instance Kisa Brady, who had been driving her husband’s new car, hit a pothole, ripping the tyre. Replacing it cost her £265.

Complaining about LCC’s claim form on Facebook she said: “It’s gonna take me at least an hour to fill in and scan docs. Apparently you have to prove your car is roadworthy, is legally entitled to be on a road, and prove they’re negligent.”

Defending its checks an LCC spokesman said: “We assess all vehicle damage claims very carefully in order to decide whether to seek to settle or defend them, and are often able to defend them by proving to the courts that we inspect roads and pavements regularly and take reasonable action to keep them in a safe condition.

“We need motorists to provide certain information when making a claim in order to make a fair investigation and verify important details such as how the damage was caused, and that the claimant owns the vehicle.”