A WELL-USED rural road plagued by large pot holes has been closed for four days to be completely resurfaced.

Work to repair a large section of Matchmoor Lane in Horwich began yesterday and is expected to last for the rest of the week.

The road has been described as being in an "abysmal" state and has been patched up on a number of occasions over the several months.

But Cllr Kevin McKeon, who represents Horwich North East on Bolton Council, said large pot hols kept reappearing in the tarmac.

The Labour member said: "Cllr. McKeon said, "While there are only a few residents in that area of Horwich which is essentially a rural part of my ward, at Heather Hall and adjacent cottages and some outlying farms, the road is still well used by those residents and farming vehicles and cyclists.

"The road was just in an abysmal state and I had repeatedly reported it to the council’s highways department, therefore this complete re-surfacing scheme will be a major improvement.

"I am pleased that the works will take place."

The work is scheduled to take four days to complete and there will be slight disruption to residents and motorists.

There are diversions in place while the roadworks are carried out.

It is the latest in a number or roads in the Horwich area that have been resurfaced over the past few months.

Chorley Old Road, in the same ward, was resurfaced towards the end of last year, with work beginning in September.

The project cost Bolton Council about £500,000, which Cllr McKeon said was 'indicative' of the problems facing the authority.

The council also revealed earlier this year that it was facing a £108million shortfall in funding to bring the borough's roads up to a "good standard".

A spokesman from the authority said it was likely to to be more than that following the snowy and cold weather at the start of 2018.