A motorist has slammed council chiefs for failing to repair a six foot deep pothole on a country road that is big enough for a fully grown ADULT to stand in.

Aron Cross, 52, was so stunned by the pothole that he got his son to stand in the space to prove how deep it is.

Pictures show his son Lewis, 27, inside the hole with his head and shoulders popping out of the top.

He says he reported the hole in Wycoller, near Pendle, to Lancashire County Council's highways department a year ago.

Council chiefs described the road as a "country track bordered by a ditch which people who drive in rural areas will be familiar with".

But Aron hit back and said it was an adopted road that was wide enough only for a single vehicle.

He said he was amazed the huge defect had not been spotted when officials inspected the site recently.

And he believes that a child "could easily be killed" if they were walking along the track and did not see the hole.

Aron said: "I think it's important to understand that the county council claim to have inspected this adopted highway, only a couple of weeks ago.

"Obviously, this brings the competence and validity of the inspection in to question and if they failed to see that hole, it is little wonder they missed everything else.

"The hole was reported to the council a year ago and many times since. It is disgraceful.

"The authority has claimed this adopted highway is a rural track which misleads the public.

"The duty of care and responsibility remains the same regardless of whatever you decide to call an adopted highway."

Aron says the uneven surface and a protruding tree on the road has damaged his and his partner's cars.

Aron, who runs a glamping business near the road in question, has threatened to take the authority to court over the ongoing issue.

He added: "The road itself is only wide enough for the vehicle that is on it.

"If someone is walking with a pushchair, you've got no chance because you won't see the hole.

"A child could easily be killed if they fall down it, I am sure.

"It is a big hole. My son is about six foot tall. He had to stand on a rock so he could see above the hole.

"They have been told about this for a year and they have done nothing about it.

"They still haven't put any physical barriers around it, which I find shocking."

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said: "This is a country track bordered by a ditch which people who drive in rural areas will be familiar with.

"We maintain it to a safe level, and couldn't find any large holes at the side when it was inspected recently.

"We will ask Mr Cross for the precise location where the photo was taken so that we can carry out further checks and take action if needed."