A COMPETITION has been held to find the worst pothole on a Colchester estate.

Councillors Paul Smith and Ray Gamble decided the only way to get action was to try something different and their idea proved to be a hit with residents thorougly fed up with the state of their roads.

Residents on Colchester’s St John’s estate submitted their entries.

The potholes were then judged on width, depth and location with the judges measuring the leading entries.

The winner was 3ft wide by 3ft long, and 5ins deep, outside the St Christopher Road shops.

It seems Essex County Council was equally impressed with the coveted Pothole of the Year title winner because it has now been repaired.

Mr Smith, the leader of Colchester Council, said: “We had around five people come up to us about it.

“It was a serious danger because it was being worsened by traffic coming out of the shops.

“Most of the traffic turned right and had to go through it and buses were increasing the damage.”

The hole did undergo initial repairs, but these didn’t last for long.

Mr Smith said: “We reported it and initially Essex County Council came out and saw it and said it wasn’t deep enough, so didn’t meet the criteria.

“But lo and behold on Tuesday, it got fixed.

“We have certainly had a lot of positive feedback.

“Why someone didn’t come around and do them in one go, I am not sure.

“We are very pleased we have finally got the county council to take action on this one.

“Nowwe hope they will start a comprehensive programme of maintaining roads properly and we may well run a similar competition later this year if Essex County Council are not coming up with the results.”

The pothole which took second prize in the competition was in Clay Lane Grove and was around 6ft wide and 3ft long, but not as deep as the winner.

It is close to St John’s Primary School.

Joint third place went to smaller potholes in St Monance Way and Welshwood Park.