Police 999 call closes Northamptonshire road after A6 pothole damages tyres of at least six cars

One motorist, Jane Fairbrass, was left ‘fuming’ after her car tyre popped after hitting a water-filled pothole on the A6 in Irthlingborough.

She had been driving her Peugeot from Finedon to Rushden on Station Road yesterday (Sunday, January 5) at around 4.30pm when her car hit the pothole on the bridge over the River Nene.

Unable to continue her journey, she stopped in a slip road where she discovered several other drivers who are believed to have hit the same pothole were seeking refuge.

She said: “I’m fuming. I had just passed the roundabout near Aldi and I hit the pothole. I couldn’t carry on. I pulled into the furniture warehouse road. There was a queue of cars who had all done the same as me. There were about nine to 10 cars.

"The police were called and slowed the traffic down.”

A spokeswoman for Northants Police said: “This happened at about 4.40pm on the A6 northbound when we were made aware that six vehicles had driven into a pothole and suffered flat tyres as a result. We deployed and closed the road whilst the issue was sorted.”

It is believed an emergency road crew were called to make a repair.

Potholes on the stretch of road had been reported to North Northants Council’s online service on December 31, 2024. Two more potholes have been recorded today (January 6).

Jane is still waiting for her car to be towed to where she works – Orbit Tyres in Rushden – for inspection and repair.

She said: “Luckily I work where I work. It’s going to cost at least £300, more if the suspension is damaged. At the end of the day that’s just damage but someone on a bike could have been killed.

"Our cars have to be roadworthy but the roads aren’t roadworthy for our cars.”

To report potholes go to North Northants Council’s website https://www.northnorthants.gov.uk/parking-roads-and-transport/report-potholes-or-highway-problem

North Northants Council have been contacted for a comment.