A POTHOLE-FILLING machine capable of filling 60 holes a day has been unleashed onto the roads of East Lancashire.

Lancashire County Council has funded the machine which will use a jet powered patching technique to fill holes.

The machine uses compressed air to remove dust and debris, the hole is then filled and finally sealed with cold bitumen emulsion.

As well as fixing the deeper potholes, they are also repairing minor areas of damage to prevent potholes appearing in the first place.

However County Cllr David Whipp, who represents Pendle Rural on the county council, said he was unsure if pot-hole filling was a solution to the problem.

The machine has already began filling potholes on the county's worst rural roads.

County Cllr Andrew Snowden, lead member for highways and transport, said: "The alternating spells of wet followed by cold weather we've had over the winter have created the perfect conditions for potholes to appear.

"Our highway teams have been working in all weathers to fix them, but it has been hard going at times as the wet and icy conditions have made it very difficult to make lasting repairs.

"As the warmer weather arrives and our annual programme of resurfacing begins I hope people will really see the difference.

"One of the ways we're trying to make progress as quickly as possible is by using these spray injection machines which are very efficient.

"We've already had four of these machines working over recent weeks, and now have six which will be with us until mid-October when the winter weather arrives again and they can no longer operate as effectively."

The county council has budgeted £23m for maintenance to Lancashire's road surfaces in 2018/19, with around £10m of this set aside to fix potholes and carry out minor repairs, such as spray injection patching.

Following a government announcement at the end of March, the council will also receive a further £2.4m from the national 'pothole action fund'.

Cllr Whipp said: "The jury is out whether its an affective way of doing the work.

"What really needs to happen is a proper resurfacing of roads.

"The roads will be falling to bits in between the filled pot holes next winter.

"I don't think a patchwork quilt of pothole repairs will last beyond next winter.

"The idea of just repairing potholes I think is miss guided.

"Only time will tell whether it will work."