Dorset County Council reported many cracks and potholes appearing in its road surfaces following the rainfall.

It said more than 1,000 such problems had been reported since January 1.

Andrew Martin, the county's head of highways operations, said: “The recent extreme weather has presented us with exceptional demand on our services but we have we have 35 teams currently deployed to address the numerous incidents and defects that have appeared in recent weeks. These include pothole repair, ditch clearing, high pressure drain clearance and gully emptying.

“We aim to repair potholes that present an immediate hazard to motorists within 32 hours and all other defects within 28 days.”

The ‘report a problem’ form at www.dorsetforyou.com allows local residents to log a variety of highways issues.

Dorset County Council said crews are working flat out to tackle the latest wave of road defects.