CAVERNOUS potholes and overflowing ditches are risking the lives of road users in the New Forest, claims a New Milton councillor.

Wet weather combined with the big freeze has created some huge potholes.

New Milton Town Council vice-chairman Cllr Janette Duke told colleagues: “One thing I’m appalled at is the state of the roads. It’s no use patching up the roads if there’s not a proper maintenance programme put in place.”

As well as potholes, she is also concerned about ditches that overflow onto roads with the potential for vehicles to aquaplane, or skid in icy conditions.

At Monday’s meeting, another councillor said vehicles could be damaged.

“I’m more worried about people’s lives to be honest, for cars can be repaired,” said Cllr Duke.

Deep potholes have recently appeared in Everton Road, Hordle.

For cyclists and motorcyclists they can be calamitous.

New Forest Cycling Club secretary Peter Weaver said potholes are extremely dangerous.

“Riding into a hole like that in the dark could easily cause a cyclist to fall off causing a head injury or broken bones or to land in front of a car,” he said.

“Someone on a motorbike could suffer a similar fate.

“And when it’s wet, potholes just fill up and you don’t see them.”

Like Cllr Duke, he said patching does not always cure the problem, and many filled potholes soon re-appear.

Hordle Parish Council clerk Sue Whitcher had not been notified about the Everton Road potholes but she said she would now report them to the county council.

“Highway issues are currently a high priority because we are disillusioned with what is actually going on,” she said, citing crumbling road edges in Frys Lane and Wainsford Road and the accident rate at the Hordle Lane/Everton Road crossroads.

A Hampshire County Council spokesman said: “The current adverse weather and freeze thaw conditions have taken their toll on roads and defects can arise overnight. We will arrange for the repair of these defects as quickly as we can.”