Thousands of potholes in roads across the borough are to be filled during the summer with the help of government cash.

Harrow Borough Council will be working throughout the summer months to tackle more than 9,000 potholes to prepare roads for the winter months.

Repair work by the council has been given a boost with a £230,000 grant from the Department for Transport, which is half of the council’s £450,000 annual budget for pothole repairs.

Cabinet member for environment Cllr Varsha Parmar got involved with the summer maintenance campaign, helping fill-in in a pothole in Albury Drive, Pinner.

She said: “The winter may seem a distant thought with many people still to take their summer holidays, but it is important we fix our potholes and protect the structure of our roads before the thermometer starts to plunge.

“We know that the condition of roads is a major concern to residents, so are taking proactive action now which will pay dividends later.

“Nobody can predict whether we will have a mild winter or not, but we can get ahead of the game by fixing the worst holes and resurfacing areas of road to ensure small areas of damage don’t become bigger headaches when the snow and ice arrive.”

The money from the Department for Transport was made available for local authorities across the country to bid for in May this year.

Leader of the opposition Conservative group Susan Hall said: "I'm really pleased to see Harrow has received this additional funding, especially as it was under our administration that the council bid for it.

“Potholes are one of those things which everyone agrees Harrow would be better without - they're an eyesore and can be exceptionally dangerous, so this extra money will be tremendously useful."

The council team of highway inspectors check the roads of the borough three times a year to find pothole damage.