Mystery motorist hunted after filling huge pothole with concrete after road closed for weeks

Pothole filled with concrete on road in Cornwall

Highway bosses are on the hunt for a mystery motorist who filled a pothole with concrete

Colin Martin/ Facebook
Georgina Cutler

By Georgina Cutler


Published: 16/05/2023

- 20:20

Council chiefs say the road will remain closed until the official repair can be carried out

Highway bosses are on the hunt for a mystery motorist who filled a pothole with concrete on a road that was forced to close for weeks.

The secret pothole filler patched up the hole in Lostwithiel, Cornwall on a road which has been closed since the start of April.


The work had been done “by persons unknown, without consent", according to Cornwall Highways who is urging the local community to share any information which could identify the person responsible.

Following the makeshift pothole fix, the top of Tanhouse Road and Bodmin Hill was reopened temporarily over the first weekend in May.

Pothole

The secret pothole filler patched up the hole in Lostwithiel, Cornwall on a road which has been closed since the start of April

PA

However, the road has been closed again with Cornwall's Council roads repair company Cormac saying the closure will remain in place until June 9 when the official repair can be carried out.

The company said there is a backlog of repairs across Cornwall which must be caught up on.

Colin Martin, Cornwall councillor for Lostwithiel and Lanreath, described the Lostwithiel pothole as “a perfect metaphor for the way that the entire public sector is crumbling due to underinvestment”.

“The latest is that the road has been closed again and will remain closed until it is 'properly' repaired by Cormac, but they say this could be weeks away as all available teams have been diverted to filling smaller potholes on roads which are still open,” he told Cornwall Live.

“Over the past two years, the Conservatives running Cornwall Council have cut the budget for road resurfacing and proactive maintenance.”

A manager with Cornwall Highways said: “Any work carried over the weekend was not carried out by our team at Cornwall Highways, and therefore we assume that works carried out to the highway surface.

"And any removal of the road closure signs and associated temporary infrastructure was done so by persons unknown, without consent.

“If information regarding who carried out the works becomes known in the community, I would be grateful if details could be shared.”

Pothole in Glasgow

Cormac said there is a backlog of repairs across Cornwall which must be caught up on

PA

A spokesperson for Cornwall Council explained that the road surface deteriorated due to an ongoing drainage issue.

And Cormac would be able to resolve the issue now the weather is warmer and drier.

It said the road would remain closed until the repairs are complete.

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