POTHOLES in the New Forest and near Southampton are set to be repaired.

Two high-speed patching machines are to be employed by Hampshire County Council over the coming months to fix problem areas.

The focus will be on rural areas such as New Milton and Romsey, as well as Winchester, and improvement work takes only minutes.

Sean Woodward, the county council’s executive member for economy, transport and environment, said: “Keeping Hampshire moving is one of our key priorities, and with over 5,000 miles of road to maintain in Hampshire, much of it rural, repairing potholes without closing sections of road is always a challenge.

“This extra resource will make a big difference in Hampshire. This is a common time of year to see pothole numbers increase but this year we are tackling the problem head-on and I hope residents see a big difference.”

Potholes often occur when water seeps into the surface of the road through cracks before freezing and expanding, causing the material to break up.