Pothole in Whepstead Road, Hawstead, near Bury St Edmunds, to be fixed after doctor’s call for urgent action

A four foot long pothole on a route between two villages is set to be fixed after a doctor called for urgent action.

Suffolk Highways said it is due to repair the pothole in Whepstead Road, Hawstead, today after Dr Richard Soper hit the defect, causing hundreds of pounds worth of damage to his car.

Dr Soper, who lives in Great Saxham, said: “Out of the blue, there was a bump and a bang.

“My car tyre completely burst and started pulling to the side.

“I managed to drive, very slowly, just under half a mile to Hawstead, where I knew somebody, and was able to park in their front drive. They knew of the pothole, too.

“The car didn’t get rescued until Monday morning and then I was in for a big bill. The cost of towing my car to a garage and replacing the tyre amounted to more than £250.”

The pothole is at the back of the now-closed, Mill Post Farm, in Whepstead Road, which runs between Whepstead and Hawstead.

Dr Soper was on his way to a talk in Bradfield St George with his wife Sue, when he hit the pothole in his Volvo estate on Saturday March 1, in the early evening.

He said: “It was dark when I hit it, filled with water and hard to see.

“I’ve since discovered it is four feet long, two feet wide and two inches deep.

“I believe it has been reported several times and yet nothing has been done.

“It is so big it is actually dangerous and it needs fixing immediately.”

Dr Soper has lodged a claim with Suffolk County Council to cover the cost of repairs to his tyre.

He added: “The road has always been reasonably well used but I think has seen more traffic as a result of the closures on the A134 at Sicklesmere.

“There are potholes all over the place on that road.”

According to Suffolk Highways reporting tool, the pothole was first reported on February 10.

It was described at the time as: “Deep, larger than a dinner plate in the middle of the road. Getting larger because it catches traffic in both directions.”

After Suffolk News contacted Suffolk Highways, a spokesperson said an extra assessment was carried out yesterday.

They said: “This assessment confirmed significant deterioration since the initial inspection, now requiring urgent repair.

“As a result, crews will be attending Whepstead Road today (Wednesday, March 19) to repair this pothole along with others along the same stretch.”