INSTEAD of filling in potholes, workmen painted white lines straight over them.

Residents in two Colchester streets were astonished when road markings were painted across the hole-ridden junctions.

The lines will have to be repainted when potholes are repaired in Berechurch Hall Road and Monkwick Avenue.

Kim Naish, borough councillor for the Berechurch ward, said: “While I am delighted to hear they are putting down the white lines to let people know the junctions are coming up, it seems absolutely ludicrous they have been put down over potholes.

“The one near the junction with Berechurch Hall Road is really quite a big pothole.

“It just seems a pointless exercise as surely the white lines will disappear as the hole gets bigger, as it surely will.”

He said he was also concerned the lines would obscure the potholes to road users and it might mean they did not intend to fill in the holes at all.

Essex County Council’s Highways department is responsible for painting the white lines.

Michael Page, spokesman, said: “Road markings have recently been painted on junctions in the Monkwick area to improve safety.

“We are also due to carry out some pothole patching in the area shortly, and any road markings affected by this will be reinstated once work has been completed.”