Have admitted that Ings Lane is actually their

Angry residents: Linda and Mick Crundell, John Wade and Max Smith

For decades Ings Lane was a dirty and pothole-strewn disgrace, unbefitting of a respectable residential neighbourhood.

Despite the regular pleas from homeowners, the council refused to resurface the street, insisting it was not its legal responsibility.

Desperate residents finally solved the problem by paying £6,000 to have the road professionally re-surfaced, with three speed bumps as an additional safety measure.

But incredibly, the council have now threatened to undo their good work by digging up the road they have had lovingly resurfaced - and threatening the residents with arrest.

The council officials - who had previously insisted the road did not fall under its jurisdiction - sent workmen to examine the lane immediately when a local farmer complained about the new road humps.

Then, three weeks ago, it sent workers to dig up the road to remove the humps.

On this occasion they were persuaded to stop by residents who rushed outside to plead with them.

However, council officials have now told furious residents that despite their previous attitude they have authority over the road after all and the ‘illegal’ speed bumps will have to go.

Homeowners have even been threatened with arrest if they try to stop workers removing them next time.

The farce has left the families living in the five detached properties alongside the resurfaced 60-metre stretch of road in a state of utter disbelief.

Wealthy entrepreneur John Wade, 36, described the council as ‘inept.’

‘The council claimed the road wasn’t theirs when we needed work doing but now the work has been done they are saying it is an adopted road. It is ridiculous.’

Puddles: The road's potholes filled with water whenever it rained

For more than 20 years the state of the road in the village of Arksey, near Doncaster, South Yorkshire, severely damaged the quality of life.

The unsurfaced road was riddled with potholes, which damaged cars and was a constant nuisance for pedestrians. It was muddy in wet weather and dusty in dry conditions.

Children in one family were sent to school with plastic bags on their feet due to the mud and dust thrown up by vehicles was so bad that residents had to keep their windows shut in the height of summer.

Very occasionally the council temporarily patched up the worst holes to placate residents, but no long term repairs were done.

In March a private contractor hired by residents totally re-surfaced the stretch of road and residents also laid grass verges to improve appearance and pedestrian safety.

It transformed their lives in the summer, with children able to ride bikes and parents safely pushing buggies.

But the council’s U-turn means the new traffic calming measures are set to be removed.

Pensioner Mick Crundell, 66, has lived there for 20 years with wife Linda, 64. He said: ‘The council have always said it is an unadopted road and not their responsibility. It doesn’t make sense that we’ve been complaining to them for decades to get the road fixed and yet after one complaint and no investigation they come and start digging up our new road.

‘Now they are happy for the road that the residents put in to stay but are saying the road is theirs and the bumps have to go. Does that mean they are going to now foot the bill for the work that has already been done? We feel completely let down by the council.’

Got the hump: The farce has left the families living in the five detached properties alongside the resurfaced 60-metre stretch of road in a state of utter disbelief

Mrs Crundell said they felt ‘bullied’ by the local authority for wanting to make their street ‘a nicer and safer place to live.’

Mr Wade, his wife Donna, 35, and their two children live in a large house with a swimming pool. He said: ‘Everybody that lives here wants the bumps to stay in place. The council won’t spend money to fix potholes but they will spend the money to dig up part of a highway that people who live there actually want.

‘It is a total waste of taxpayers’ money. One council worker even threatened to bring us all in under caution until we admitted who paid for the work to be done.’

Bumped off: Despite previously stating the road was not theirs to maintain, the council has now decided to dig up the new speed bumps - and have anyone who tries to stop them arrested

Mother-of-two Maxine Smith, 44, and her electrical engineer husband Paul, 42, are also furious.

She said: ‘The potholes damaged my car. We even considered moving at one point. It just made life difficult. Having the new road was amazing, and safer. It makes the whole street a nicer place to be. It’s a waste of time and money to start digging things up again.’

Officials from Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council insist the speed bumps must be removed because they were put in without permission and ‘raise serious liability issues.’ They are described as ‘not fully visible in the dark, illegal and potentially dangerous.’

However, the council hopes to reduce the speed limit to 20mph.

Peter Dale, Doncaster council’s director of regeneration and environment, said: ‘This section of Ings Lane has no history of accidents in the past 10 years and is used by just a small number of residents and agricultural vehicles. There are 1,000 miles of roads across Doncaster and we have to prioritise major routes and accident hotspots. Ings Lane has been maintained in a safe and serviceable condition in keeping with the nature of the road.’