At least 14 drivers had their wheels mangled in one evening by a lethal pothole hidden on a motorway slip road.
A trail of stricken vehicles built up along the M3’s hard shoulder in Hampshire last night as the treacherous surface of the A303 slip road claimed its victims.
Motorists were stranded for hours as they awaited help, with some cars suffering multiple burst tyres and buckled wheels.
The damage began at around 7pm last night and one lane of the A303 was eventually closed, causing traffic to build.
A team including Hampshire Highways and the AA turned up with mobile tyre changers and recovery vehicles to get cars back on the road – though it was a slow process.
One unfortunate driver was therapist Colin Harding, who had been driving to Gatwick Airport to pick up his disabled friend in their car.
The 64-year-old said: ‘I was going to Gatwick airport to pick up a couple I know, and the man is actually disabled.
‘I was using his car, fully insured and everything.
‘I was in the left hand lane and couldn’t move over because there was a vehicle on my right.
‘As you approach the pothole it looks like newly laid tarmac, just a dark patch.
‘But the jolt in the car was like nothing I had ever felt before. It was like I had fallen down the pothole.’
Mr Harding continued: ‘I pulled over on the hard shoulder and there were eight other cars there.
‘I spoke to the couple in front of me and they said that both of their tyres on their passenger side had burst.
‘I thought mine was just the front but I checked and it was both too.
‘And it wasn’t just the tyres but the wheels had buckled and would need to be replaced.’
The therapist added: ‘This was at about 19:35, and after about 15 minutes I called 999.
‘They said that no one had reported it but that they would send someone out straight away.
‘I left at 21:25 and was frustrated that there was no help whatsoever from the authorities.
‘I was only going 50 miles per hour and two wheels buckled. What would have happened if I had been going 70 as that road allows?
‘And it only would have taken one car to go into one of the vehicles pulled over on the road for their to have been a huge accident and lots of traffic.’
Mr Harding concluded: ‘I would like to thank one man who came and helped us change out tyres.
‘Because of him I managed to pick up the couple at the airport, although it was two hours after they landed and we had to go 50 miles per hour because of the temporary tyres.
‘The wheels will also have to be repaired today.’
AA Travel reported: ‘Lane closed on entry ramp from A303 eastbound due to emergency repairs on M3 Northbound at J8 A303,’
The lane remained closed on Friday afternoon.
National Highways confirmed that the pothole was mended over Thursday night, and it is understood that further repairs to the slip road will take place over tonight.
A spokesperson for the agency said: ‘Safety is our primary concern, and we set stringent standards for pothole repairs on our roads. We regularly carry out inspections to help reduce the potential for potholes to form.
‘We also encourage members of the public to tell us if they find any potholes so that we can repair them as swiftly as possible.
‘When potholes do occur, we repair them as soon as possible, and any defects that pose a risk to safety are repaired within 24 hours.
‘People can report potholes to the National Highways Customer Contact Centre by calling 0300 123 5000, email, on X or by visiting our website.’
