AN MP is urging residents to go out on ‘pothole patrol’ across Rossendale after a series of harsh winters have taken their tolls on the valley’s roads.

Rossendale MP Jake Berry is on the lookout for the most pock-marked routes from Haslingden to Bacup after being inundated with concerns from local residents.

And he has pledged to campaign for any bumpy highways to be moved to the top of road maintenance programmes.

Mr Berry said: “Everyone knows that the famous line from the Beatles about the 4,000 holes in Blackburn, Lancashire.

“But I reckon Rossendale isn’t that far behind. I’ve had dozens of constituents contact me recently about crumbling roads in the valley.”

The MP has welcomed resurfacing to the likes of Co-operation Street, Greenbank Street and Melia Close in Rawtenstall, Hill Street and St Thomas Road and Swinshaw Close in Crawshawbooth.

And he is looking forward to similar upgrades for Grasmere Road in Helmshore, Station Road in Shawforth and Heald Lane in Weir.

Mr Berry added: “A lot of money has been put into repairing our highways, but the last couple of winters have been particularly harsh and many of our local roads have taken a real battering.

“I am calling on local residents across Rossendale to let me know by e-mail, Facebook or Twitter of any particularly bad areas and I will do my best to make sure that they are repaired as soon as possible.”

He said the government had committed £3billion towards national road maintenance.

The MP can be contacted on jake. berry.mp@parliament.uk, on Twitter at @JakeBerryMP or on Facebook by searching for Jake Berry MP.