OLYMPIC torchbearers could break an ankle on Westhoughton’s potholeblighted roads, a councillor claims.

Cllr David Wilkinson, who represents Westhoughton South, said he fears the council could become a national embarrassment if the torchbearer trips and injures themselves in Hart Common.

The torch will arrive in Westhoughton on Thursday, May 31, as part of its 70-day journey around the UK.

It will be carried along Cricketers Way and Market Street before going to Bolton via Wigan Road.

Cllr Wilkinson said: “People have complained to me in Hart Common about the state of the road.

“I said to the council that national press, TV, the lot will be here and it wouldn’t look good if an Olympic torch bearer broke their leg or ankle in Hart Common on a pot hole.”

Bolton Council has since repaired the potholes in Wigan Road near Cunningham Brook bridge — but only on one side of the road.

Cllr Wilkinson said: “I was really pleased that the Olympic route has had the potholes removed on the way into town. It is a gold medal result.

“However, there is broken road surface on the other side of the road where the Olympic torch will not pass over and that's been left behind — why?

“Do we need to run the Olympic torch along that side of the road too?”

A council spokesman said repairs to the other side of the road were due to take place in the summer.

He said: “We undertook a planned safety inspection of the route and carried out the work on Wigan Road as part of that.

“We will undertake repairs on the opposite side of the road in due course as part of any routine safety inspections.

“We also intend to resurface a significant section of Wigan Road, from Wearish Lane to Cricketer’s Way, which will improve the quality of the road significantly.”