Man planting flowers in Horsham potholes will continue "until every road is resurfaced"
Harry Smith-Haggett - also known as Harry Pretty Pothole - has been filling the town's potholes since 2024
A Horsham man planting flowers in the town's potholes says he will continue until every single road is resurfaced.
Harry Smith-Haggett - also known as Harry Pretty Pothole - has amassed over 100,000 followers since launching the stunt in 2024, as a response to a pothole on the street where he lives:
"I was swerving around it every day.
"It was causing traffic and it was just an inconvenience.
"It had been there for months. The council had sprayed it. Nothing had been done. So I thought, what can I do?"
The Crawley Town fan told Greatest Hits Radio he's taking the movement across the country, arming himself with a bucket and plants for any away games:
"Bolton, we've done Blackpool, we've done Barnet, you name it and we've probably been there.
"Birmingham and Nottingham, worst places I've ever been."
But the 23-year-old issued a safety warning encouraging people not to copy him and to stay out of the roads - reassuring that he will "keep doing this forever" on their behalf.
West Sussex County Council's expected to approve a budget including over eighty million pounds to maintain our roads later today.
A spokesperson for West Sussex County Council said:
“Since the beginning of February our team have completed over 2,600 pothole repairs across the county.
"The recent period of exceptionally heavy and persistent rainfall has significantly increased pressure on the road network, contributing to the formation of new potholes. We are repairing these as fast as we can.
“Over the past week, we have also cleared or repaired around 2,000 drainage assets to help remove standing water from the roads and reduce the likelihood of further potholes forming.
"We currently have 22 contractor crews working on reactive safety issues, including pothole repairs and we have extended their operating hours into evenings and weekends to increase capacity.
“Alongside this, two dedicated crews are carrying out larger patching works, and 18 stewards are focused specifically on responding to customer enquiries about the road network.
“Our highways are subject to a robust programme of inspections every month, three months, six months and annually.
These are carried out by inspectors who drive, walk and cycle the network throughout the year to monitor road conditions and identify issues early.
"In addition, we respond to potholes issues on our highways that are reported by the public. The most effective way to report potholes is via our online reporting tool Report a pothole online - West Sussex County Council or by calling 01243 642105, so that we can organise an effective repair safely and as quickly as possible.
“We strongly urge residents not to personally take action on potholes as this poses a serious safety risk for them and for other road users.”