Sign up to FREE email alerts from StaffordshireLive - Daily Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

There are so many potholes in one road near Burton that there are enough to play a game of snooker, a teenager has said.

In fact Lewis Anderson, 17, is so fed up with the state of the road at Five Lanes End, in Needwood, he has got out his snooker cue and attempted to pot a few balls in the holes to prove his point.

Lewis is a member of the Friends of Outwoods, and says he is exasperated by the situation. More seriously though, he fears for drivers using the roundabout at Five Lanes End due to the many potholes in the area.

He says there are broken pieces from cars strewn around the island, which he claims are caused by them tangling with the potholes and there are holes on the five roads leading up to the roundabout.

(Image: John Anderson)

Lewis, who is the son of Outwoods Parish Council chairman John Anderson, said: "The holes are a danger to drivers, especially with the roundabout being a frequent route for bicycle races.

"I fear the worst for anybody hitting the potholes while driving. We all know somebody who has damaged their car on a pothole.

"The county council announced an extra fund for repairs, but we are yet to see a significant improvement, and past attempts to fill the holes are now resulting in scattered fragments of Tarmac as they fall apart. I fear the worst for anybody hitting the potholes while driving, especially the vulnerable cyclists."

Helen Fisher, cabinet support member for highways at Staffordshire County Council, has told the Burton Mail that more work can now be carried out as the weather has improved. Work has already been completed at Five Lane Ends and the area is continued to be monitored.

She said: "We do have a huge road network here in Staffordshire, with around 6,000km of roads and these are inspected regularly by our team of highway inspectors.

(Image: John Anderson)

"From these safety inspections our crews fix around 20,000 potholes every year. We are also investing an extra £5 million in road maintenance this year on top of the extra £5 million last year which helped fix more than 31,000 potholes.

"Our highways teams have recently inspected the road and a number of repairs have already been identified and scheduled in for repair. Our crews will continue to monitor the area and keep the road safe.

"Pothole repairs are prioritised depending on the risk they pose to the travelling public. All reported defects are inspected as soon as possible and assessed for their severity, which is decided by considering a number of factors like the location, size and the risk posed to public safety.

"Any defect which poses an immediate risk is dealt with as a priority, and we aim to repair dangerous potholes within seven days. Lesser priority potholes are dealt with when resources are available."