Moped rider hurt after hitting 'huge and dangerous' pothole

Owen Sennitt
·2-min read
Sam Butterworth, from Norwich, has been left hurt after hitting a pothole in Thetford and coming off his moped <i>(Image: Sam Butterworth)</i>
Sam Butterworth, from Norwich, has been left hurt after hitting a pothole in Thetford and coming off his moped (Image: Sam Butterworth)

A moped rider has been injured after he hit a "dangerous" pothole and skidded across the road while travelling to see his mum for Mother's Day.

Sam Butterworth, from Norwich, was passing through Thetford when he came off his new moped on Sunday morning (March 19).

He didn't see the eight-inches deep pothole, which is located at the junction with Castle Lane, until the last second and has been left bruised and with a sore back following the crash.

Eastern Daily Press: The pothole at the corner of Castle Street and Castle Lane in Thetford is about eight inches deep, 1.5 feet wide and three feet long
Eastern Daily Press: The pothole at the corner of Castle Street and Castle Lane in Thetford is about eight inches deep, 1.5 feet wide and three feet long

The pothole at the corner of Castle Street and Castle Lane in Thetford is about eight inches deep, 1.5 feet wide and three feet long (Image: Maxine Coy)

The 24-year-old said: "I saw it at the last second as I went round the bend and couldn't avoid it.

"I've got a massive bruise on the back of my thigh and I've developed back pain in the following days.

READ MORE: Help from Westminster needed to tackle Norfolk's pothole crisis

"A pothole that size is dangerous for car owners, let alone people on bikes."

The IT technical support specialist bought the moped in recent weeks and it is now covered in scratches.

Eastern Daily Press: Mr Butterworth was left with a large bruise on his thigh, a sore back and scratches on his bike after hitting the pothole
Eastern Daily Press: Mr Butterworth was left with a large bruise on his thigh, a sore back and scratches on his bike after hitting the pothole

Mr Butterworth was left with a large bruise on his thigh, a sore back and scratches on his bike after hitting the pothole (Image: Sam Butterworth)

Maxine Coy was looking out her window from her home when she saw the crash.

"Luckily he wasn't seriously hurt but it looked like he was left in a lot of pain," she said.

"The pothole is huge and in such a dangerous place. Ourselves and other people in the area reported it a week ago but it still hasn't been repaired.

"I warned other drivers in the area on a Theftord Facebook group about the pothole after Sam's crash.

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"Lots of people responded saying they had near misses or their car had been damaged."

A Norfolk County Council spokesman said the pothole was assessed last week and was passed to contractors to repair within 28 days.

After being contacted, the council said the pothole has now been highlighted as "dangerous" and will be further examined to assess whether it is a high priority to repair and if so, repairs will be carried out more quickly.