MORE than 18,000 pot holes were reported in Essex last year.

Figures also show the total depth of the defects amount to more than 900m - more than five times the depth of the English Channel - while more than £5 million was spent on repairs.

The Essex figures include reports from both Southend and Thurrock, rather than just Essex County Council

The statistics were released after a freedom of information request from Confused.com and also show £38,393 was paid out to Essex drivers last year in compensation.

Hertfordshire had the most pot holes reported in the east of England, with 22,234.

More than £96,400 was paid out to drivers there last year.

Amanda Stretton, motoring editor at Confused.com, said: "Scrolling to depths of more than 40km really puts into perspective just how deep the UK’s pothole problem really is.

"They are a major bugbear among drivers, not least because of the damage they do to our vehicles – around £3.1 million worth of damage, which has been paid out by almost half of the UK’s councils.

"If drivers experience a bump in the road, they should report it to their local council as soon as possible before the problem gets any worse.

"The cost of motoring alone is getting more and more expensive and damage repairs is a big contributor to this, as car parts increase in price as well."

A spokesman for Essex Highways said: “These are the combined figures for Essex County Council, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council and Thurrock Council roads.

Confused.com may have presented their statistics in an eye-catching way but unfortunately they do not present a true picture of the situation in Essex.

"The figures do not include the number of potholes fixed individually and through resurfacing works, which this year alone covered more than 3,000,000 square metres of road.”