Village cut off by Britain's 'biggest pothole' as huge 41ft crater grounds cars

BRITAIN'S "biggest pothole" spanning 41ft has isolated an entire village - as locals slam their "useless" council.

The mega crater in Charlton-All-Saints, Wiltshire, is the same length as a double-decker bus and halts cars in their tracks.

Locals are fuming after the seven-foot-wide hole was left to wreak havoc following the winter season.

They live in fear its immense depth will swallow up smaller cars - while others have previously been damaged.

If you drive a small car through there, you will ground it

I'm a property expert - my guess for the cheapest time to buy a home this year David BennettResident

Disgruntled residents slammed Wiltshire Council for allowing the monster pothole to continue sparking travel chaos.

David Bennett, 76, told the Mail: "It's got to be one of the biggest around."

Speaking of the council's effort to repair the road, he added: "When they use the cold tar it's not a permanent fix as they keep breaking up."

The fuming local told how the crater was filled with water for seven months and Warrens Lane became inaccessible unless you wore wellies.

Meanwhile, runners and cyclists avoided the route altogether to stay clear of "dangerous" terrain with loose rocks "the size of the palm of your hand".

"If you drive a small car through there, you will ground it," he added.

Fellow resident, Vince Jenkins, said: "A number of people have had their tyres wrecked and cars scraped."

He explained how the infamous pothole scuppered unfamiliar truck and van drivers who couldn't see it submerged under muddy water.

The hazardous road sees most of the village travel down the only other lane - which has now created pesky potholes there too.

Vince urged the council to pull the whole road up and relay it with hot tar and stop wasting money to "paper over the cracks".

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"We are just fed up because we can't use the road," he added.

He slammed the council for prolonging the "inconvenience that is not necessary".

The frustrated local begged officials to target the "underlying issue", involving poor ditch maintenance that leads to frequent flooding.

'PERMANENT REPAIR'

Wiltshire Council's Cabinet Member for Highways, Nick Holder, said: "We have been aware of this issue, but as it has been under water for some time due to the unprecedented high groundwater levels, so unfortunately we have been unable to start any work to repair it.

"The water levels are a product of the number of storms and amount of rainfall experienced this winter.

We have allocated an extra £10m over the next two years to spend on filling potholes

Nick HolderWiltshire Council's Cabinet Member for Highways

"Unfortunately, the volume of water combined with the lack of a suitable point to pump the water to meant that it has not been possible.

"Water levels have now receded to a level that will enable works to be undertaken.

"Our teams are heading to Charlton-All-Saints to carry out some temporary repairs, and we will be arranging for a more permanent repair to take place as soon as it is possible.

"While other councils around the county are cutting budgets, we are investing millions into the everyday things that matter to people, such as filling potholes and resurfacing roads; and that is on top of the tens of millions we already spend on these highways issues with Government grants.

"We have allocated an extra £10m over the next two years to spend on filling potholes and a road resurfacing programme that will help to prevent potholes and other highways defects across all areas of the county."

It comes as potholes wreak devastation up and down the UK on a daily basis.

Homeowners living in Whitefield, Greater Manchester, claimed that their houses shake when lorries hit the craters, leaving them in fear for their safety.

Locals dubbed the crisis a "nightmare", alleging that, if nothing is done, the area would be at risk of sinkholes.

Meanwhile, an OAP said he would rather go to jail than pay council tax because potholes are so bad near his home.

Ronnie Wilkie, 78, is so disillusioned with state of the road along a country lane near his home in Herefordshire he has now vowed to stop paying council rates.

And, a mega 5ft crater was found in Canning Town, East London - easily deep enough to swallow a child.

The suspension-buster is said to have wrecked a BMW and sent a Deliveroo rider flying off their e-bike.