More than 10,000 emergency pothole repairs were carried out in Aberdeen last year, the Evening Express can reveal today.

The damage was regarded as a “safety defect” and as such fixed with seven days.

The number of emergency repairs required in 2014/15 was 10,272 – up from 7,691 the year before.

However, a Freedom of Information response also showed the true number could be much higher.

It said: “Many pothole complaints made by members of the public are not classed as safety defects and these figures are not recorded.

“Some potholes are found and repaired by roads inspectors during the course of their daily duties and these figures are not recorded. Equally, potholes identified and repaired by the roads team when they are sent to deal with reported potholes are also not recorded.”

Today, an opposition leader hit out at proposals to cut the maintenance budget for city roads. Officers have proposed postponing pothole patching this year to save £133,000.

Lib Dem leader, Councillor Ian Yuill, said: “The council faces very difficult decisions but in my view it needs to continue to invest as much as possible in maintaining our city’s roads and pavements.

“Not doing something is a false economy which will lead to even more broken and uneven roads and pavements at a time when even more people are tripping on uneven pavements and cars are being damaged by potholes.”