A ROW has erupted over repairs to a dilapidated pavement that has been branded the worst in Totton.

Hampshire County Council has come under fire after a pavement at Hammonds Lane was patched in torrential rain - and without advance warning.

Furious residents complained at a meeting of Totton and Eling Town Council.

Sylvia Prescott, 65, said: "We were woken by the sound of digging - and no-one had been given prior notice of the work.

"People had to stay at home or drive over wet tarmac.

"And the tarmac patches were higher than the surrounding gravel, which resulted in water collecting between the pavement and the end of our driveways.

"It's an improvement on what we had before, but it should have been done properly."

Totton county councillor John Dawson said: "It was pouring with rain, which resulted in a series of lakes forming outside people's homes.

"It would have been better to install a decent section of path with proper edges."

John Mursell, assistant area surveyor, said the Hammonds Lane area was used by a large number of pupils walking to and from Testwood School.

"We did some temporary patching at the start of the half-term holiday to ensure that the pavement is safe throughout the winter," he said.

"Unfortunately we don't have the staff to go knocking on doors to tell people that work will be carried out the following day."

He added: "It's my highest priority in Totton and I'm confident that major refurbishment will be carried out in the next financial year."

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