A record 180,909 pothole repairs across Hampshire marks a 37 per cent yearly rise, says the county council.

Councillor Lulu Bowerman, the county council’s cabinet member for Highways and Waste, said: "We understand that potholes remain a significant concern for Hampshire’s residents, impacting daily journeys and overall satisfaction whether travelling to work, school, running a business or enjoying all our county has to offer.

"With unprecedented volumes of potholes being reported to us, Hampshire isn’t alone in facing the challenge of keeping local roads in a good condition. The impact of colder, wetter winters takes a heavy toll on the roads, and higher costs due to inflation means that every year we must make our budget stretch further – for example, it now costs the taxpayer around 44 per cent more to repair a pothole.

"Over the summer months, our highways teams will continue to make the most of the money we have available, and the generally drier, warmer days to support our priority focus on fixing large numbers of potholes, applying surface treatments to smooth our highways, and undertaking road maintenance on larger stretches of road across the county."

Residents can report defects online or via the OurHants app.