THE September issue of The Leveller reported that in the last year more than 15,500 potholes have been repaired across Somerset.

On our travels we all see the men and women who carry out this essential work every day – but they remain anonymous. So, in tribute to them, let us imagine a typical crew.

They are called Mark, Doug, Phil and Mac.

Given the locations by council HQ of potholes that need attention, Mark has defined the broken edges in white.

It’s Doug who cleared the weakened areas and painted the interiors with liquid bitumen.

Then his colleague Phil did his stuff with a hot material to pack the gaps to surface level.

Finally, Mac finished the job by smoothing the surface back to a glossy black.

That’s when they all said thanks, or as the gang expresses it Ta(r) Mac.

There is one other person we can give thanks to – Mark’s girlfriend Greta.

She has just completed her training on the trucks which repair the larger areas of road surface.

Mark’s way of congratulating her was to say: “From now on I think we should all call you Gritter.”.

MICHAEL CUERDEN
via email

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