A SOMERSET MP has called upon the council to repair a lane which residents have described as 'the most potholed road in England'.

Ian Liddell-Grainger, MP for Bridgwater and West Somerset, says Somerset Council must use part of a recent £3.5 million extra allocation for road repairs to make it safe.

Residents including a 101-year-old man on the road in Watchet claim they were told to fill the 21 potholes themselves by the authority.

The residents say that more than six people have fallen over as a result of the potholes - described by a neighbour as 'bomb craters' - with two being hospitalised.

One resident, named Brian, said: "They said we could do the work ourselves and fix them - absurd.

"We are all elderly residents and don't have that kind of money.

"How can you tell a 101-year-old to fill their own potholes?"

He explained that all the residents affected by the potholes have a total of six cars, so it cannot be their fault.

Brian added: "The council are not taking into account huge lorries that come down here, as there are always problems with water pipes, great big council dust and waste lorries, supermarket vans, white vans."

In response, Somerset Council said that despite difficulties to understand who is responsible for the road, a 'shared approach to maintenance' will be implemented going forward.

Read more: Claims council told 101-year-old man to repair 'the most potholed road in England'

But Mr Liddell-Grainger said the council should 'stop nit-picking and simply resurface the lane'.

“It is in the interests of public safety to do this work - and do it quickly,” he said.

“The Government  recently awarded the council £3.5 million from unspent HS2 funds precisely to catch up on its long list of road repairs and I am glad to see that checks are in place to ensure the money is spent where intended.

“I would suggest the relatively small amount of money that is required to resurface this lane is allocated and the work done immediately. Two people have already been hospitalised after falling over there.

“The council should not be arguing the toss over responsibilities. It has the money and in the interests of keeping users safety the work should be carried out.”