Fancy a dip? UK's largest pothole is 6-feet wide

London: Residents in a Devon village claim they have the biggest pothole in the country. They have dubbed the six foot wide pothole ‘the swimming pool'.

Too big to pass: This 6ft wide pothole in Devon opened after storms forced hardcore up through the surface, and was passable until the local council dug a larger hole to investigate

Around a month ago storms caused the underlying hardcore to be forced up through the tarmac - but the unclassified road remained passable.

But then Devon County Council workmen dug a larger hole to investigate the problem - and the road had to be closed.

The council says it does not have the cash to repair the hole until the next financial year at the earliest. And until then the traffic that used the road is being diverted through what were tranquil villages.

Central Devon MP Mel Stride has visited the pothole and said, "This massive pothole is clearly a major problem for local residents as well as for those who are used to taking school buses along this route. I am fully engaged in trying to resolve the situation as soon as possible."

The unclassified road between Crediton and New Buildings carries around 300 vehicles a day including milk tankers from local farms and these are now being diverted through nearby Sandford.

Pat Yeo, chairman of Sandford Parish Council, said: "It is causing a lot of anguish in the village. The hole is so big people have started referring to it as ‘the swimming pool'."

The county council have not come up with a date when the repairs may be carried out.