RESIDENTS have spoken of their shock after a pothole-ridden road was resurfaced to look like a ‘patchwork quilt’.

Blackpool Street in Darwen was left so badly damaged by potholes, parts of the road had worn away exposing the original cobbles.

On Wednesday, council workers shut the road to fill in most of the holes.

But residents are now saying the street looks a mess and are calling for the surface to be removed from the whole of the road, leaving it in its original cobbled state.

Retired senior leisure manager, Patrick Campbell, who lives on Bolton Road said: “The road was closed for the council to carry out this patchwork quilt task and it took seven operatives in two wagons to do it when a team of four would’ve been more than adequate.

“If that wasn’t enough, the repairs coincided with bin day and because the road was closed the bins didn’t get emptied and will be full for another two weeks.”

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Mr Campbell, 63, said that before the job was done, there were more cobbles on show than asphalt.

He added: “On three different occasions over the last eighteen months officials came and sprayed round the holes to highlight them.

“Following the job there are still large areas of cobbles showing.”

Posting on Facebook, annoyed residents are now saying that the council should spend the time removing the asphalt instead of paving over potholes.

One comment read: “They should remove it and reset the old cobbles beneath and it will last another 100 years.”

Another comment said: “What a mess. The council should be ashamed.”

Mr Campbell added: “Before the last elections, our local MP Jake Berry specifically asked at the doorstep which local roads did we think needed attention.

“I for one said Blackpool Street, which services a large off licence, a launderette, a Post Office/newsagents and a busy cafe. But the residents deserve better than this.”

Regeneration boss at Blackburn with Darwen Council, Phil Riley, said: “We always inspect the jobs that we have done and if the work is found to be substandard then we will invite the contractors back to make it right.”