Pothole ruins holiday as cyclist spends nine nights in hospital after crash

Recently retired Maria Hayes from Thurrock, Essex was enjoying a leisurely cycle with her husband and friends when they started to descend Shady Bower.

Just after passing St Martin’s Primary School, Mrs Hayes rode into a “sunken trench” knocking her off balance and crashing to the ground.

Mrs Hayes dislocated her ankle and fractured it in three places in the crash on June 6.

After waiting a week for an operation, nine screws and a metal plate were inserted into her foot and ankle.

She has been in plaster cast since and will remain so for another six to eight weeks.

There will then be a process of intense physiotherapy.

Doctors have told her she will never regain full flexibility and will suffer arthritis due to the extent of the injury.

Mrs Hayes said: “My injuries are slowly healing, but I will be affected by the arthritis for the remainder of my life.

“I was lucky in some ways, as a bus came down the road two minutes later, thankfully it saw me.”

Wiltshire Council was told of the accident and the highways department inspected the scene.

The council says there are no potholes or sunken trenches of any danger on Shady Bower, and any wear and tear was sufficient.

It added it did not intend to repair the road, as it met highways department requirements.

Councillor John Walsh decided to visit the site, where he found the worn pothole/sunken trench Mrs Hayes says caused her injuries.

He said: “I will speak to the relevant officers in the highways department, to see if they will reconsider their decision, and repair this section of the road.

“I apologise to the cyclist for the injuries caused and wish her a full recovery.”

Mrs Hayes hopes action will be taken so future accidents can be avoided.

She said: “I want to make other cyclists aware of the danger of potholes.

"This pothole and other similar potholes need to be dealt with, as one day a cyclist’s injuries will be more severe than mine, possibly fatal.”