A MOTORIST who suffered a double puncture after hitting a large pothole has blasted county hall for refusing his compensation claim.

Terry Walker, one of around 20 drivers who were caught out in a single day by the pothole at Holt Road, Wimborne, says he was lucky not to hit an oncoming car during the incident.

Terry, who was left facing a £2,000 recovery and repair bill, told the Echo: "It can't be right that hard working, taxpaying drivers have to pay for the fact Dorset County Council cannot upkeep the county's roads.

"I'm really unhappy that the council has refused to pay my claim for damages, especially as so many other cars were damaged at the same day by the same pothole."

Terry's works van suffered two buckled wheels after smashing into the nine inch deep pothole outside Mannington's Cross Keys Inn in February.

A number of vehicles were damaged by the two-metre long hazard which became hidden after filling with water following a heavy rainstorm.

A DCC spokesman said: "Our maintenance policy, which includes highway classification and repair times, is based upon national guidelines contained within the Department for Transport’s approved code of practice.

"Claims are judged on a case-by-case basis and the decision on whether to accept or deny a claim is based solely upon the law as set out by the Highways Act 1980."

The spokesman explained the pothole Terry hit developed towards the end of January following torrential rain.

"Expansion and contraction of water in cracks of the road surface can cause unseen damage to the sub base under the road surface, which eventually results in a pothole. The first report of a pothole in this area was received on February 1, following which we coned-off the damaged area on February 6 and it was repaired on February 10.

Terry's accident took place in between the report of the pothole and it being coned off five days later.