THEY came, they saw, they covered – and then they went again, leaving behind scores of unrepaired potholes and at least one fuming Tunbridge Wells resident.

Irene Figgett, 54, of Farmcombe Road, alerted Kent Highways to the "dangerous" gaping holes on the bend near the road's junction with Claremont Road on February 15.

"I had never seen the roads this bad in the best part of 40 years – they're atrocious," she said.

She was pleased a few days later when she saw contractors at work, but her mood switched to disbelief on seeing the repairs – "one foot square of Tarmac", and two other clusters of eight or nine gouges ignored.

"I couldn't believe my eyes. Although they had patched up a few, they ignored worse ones just inches away," she said.

"I will not tell you what I said. You have to see it to believe it".

So last Friday we went to inspect the road, more potholes than smooth surface. We witnessed unsuspecting motorists drive around the bend and then watched as their cars shuddered as though crossing a cattle grid.

We also took to the streets to see the extent of the problem across town, which county council leader Paul Carter blamed on the "coldest and wettest winter for years".

He pleaded for patience, saying plans to spend "£1million to £2million on a major pothole-repair blitz when the weather was right" were "well advanced" and adding across Kent more than 60 crews were already out daily carrying out "thousands of emergency temporary repairs".

These quick-fix repairs would then be made permanent when the weather improved, said the council.

But Mrs Figgett said: "It would almost be laughable if I wasn't angry. I pay enough council tax to highways, but where does all the money go?

"Tunbridge Wells's roads are a joke. Every year they fob you off."

She said she later saw some highways contractors outside Banner Farm House in Farmcombe Road.

"I tore into the highways man. There was a lorry and two men," she added. "I said 'why are you filling in those piddly little holes?'

"And he said 'I see what you're saying lady, but we only get allocated the jobs that come in. We have to go now and do some gritting'.

"And he was basically saying 'we can't do it because it is not on the booking list' and they'd not been told (to do them)."

Incensed, Mrs Figgett was straight on the phone to Kent Highways.

"I said 'I can't believe this, you need to get someone down here to look at this,' and the man said to me it sounded like someone needed a kick up the backside.

"Now, nothing has happened and I know they will say they will leave it until the end of April and then they will blitz it."

Kent Highways spokesman Phil Scrivener was unable to say why some potholes had been patched while others just inches away were ignored.