DALWOOD residents are going potty after Devon County Council carried out road repairs prior to a meeting in the village over potholes.

DALWOOD residents are going potty after Devon County Council carried out road repairs prior to a meeting in the village over potholes.

Over 60 people attended the meeting at The Tucker's Arms last Saturday.

But, prior to the event, the council carried out road repairs and filled in some of the worst holes.

However, pub landlady Tracey Pearson argues that only around 10 per cent of potholes have been filled, and that it had been a poor job - without water being taken out first or the filling being levelled off.

She said: "This meeting has been called due to the appalling conditions our roads, within the parish area, are in. It was decided this morning to still go ahead with this meeting, even though highways have now started patching holes up at Andrewshayes.

"This does not solve problems elsewhere in the parish and we need to look at the prospect of holes that are currently small becoming larger and deteriorating over time." She said she organised the meeting following complaints from customers and fear of losing business.

She said: "We would have around 50 to 60 people coming in complaining that they had had to put a claim in or that the potholes had cost them money.

"Some said they wouldn't come back until things improved."

Staff had also complained that their route to work was dangerous.

And the village school was reported to have lost points and had received negative comments regarding safety during a recent Ofsted inspection.

Head teacher Sarah Baker said it was a serious problem for a small rural school, which is already struggling to keep its numbers up due to its location.

Ms Pearson added: "In future, we, as a community, need to be more vigilant at making speedier complaints and reports about any drainage problems and any road faults - no matter how small."

She added that Dalwood had a strong community and actively worked at maintaining the village.