Leicestershire: 'Hidden' pothole causes damage to multiple cars

A number of motorists have had their vehicles damaged by a "hidden" pothole that appeared on a busy road in Leicestershire.

People driving along Gartree Road - between the junction with Shady Lane and the Spire Hospital - hit the hole, which is on a blind bend on Wednesday.

A witness said that they had seen about 20 cars damaged by the pothole.

Leicestershire County Council told the BBC the hole had been hidden by standing water.

A spokesperson from the council said they had been out to the location and had made the site safe with temporary traffic lights.

Tim Johnson was on his way to work when he hit the pothole and damaged his car.

"It was pitch black when I hit it, so I couldn't see it.

"I knew straight away that I had done a lot of damage. I think there was about 20 cars in total that had been damaged.

"It was just a pool of water. It flung my car in the air, took both my wheels out and both my tyres," he told BBC Radio Leicester.

Mr Johnson said it was not the first time he has had pothole problems in the county.

"I hit a pothole in Fleckney just before Christmas, I cracked my wheel and damaged a tyre," he said.

"I didn't even bother going through the council that time but this time I will because I'm not paying over a thousand pound worth of damage for something that's not my fault."

The county council said they believed that recent flooding in the East Midlands had also caused the road surface to deteriorate further.

A spokesperson said: "The pothole has been hidden from motorists by standing water.

"We are investigating the drainage issues which have caused the road to flood, and will then carry out the necessary drainage works and repairs to the carriageway.

"We would also remind motorists to take extra care when driving on flooded roads and avoid driving through standing water, if possible."

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