A giant crater which has caused more than a dozen accidents in the last three weeks was judged as being safe by the council, according to a businessman. Peter Webb, 75, who owns the Webb Brothers Garage, with his two brothers Martin and Gordon has been complaining about the giant pothole outside of their business on Copthall Green, Upshire, for over a month. Despite having work literally dropped onto their doorstep with blown out tyres and crushed wheel arches, the mechanics say that all they care about is the safety of people using the road.

Mr Peter Webb said: “There have been 19 accidents that we know of the in last three weeks. “We can hear the tyres pop from the workshop. “There were three yesterday and two this morning. We are just so worried because mums use this road to pick their children up from school. Yesterday there were two kids in one of the cars and they were shaken up and there were children in one of the cars the day before. “The council says that they sent somebody out but they do not think that it is dangerous. It’s a joke. “It is huge. If you tried to walk through it you would break your leg. “We saw a van come down here but the guy didn’t take pictures or anything, he didn’t even get out the van. “Cars have been ending up in ditches along the road. It won’t be long before someone gets killed. “Yes it’s good for business but we don’t care about that we just want somebody to have the sense to come a fix it.

” The mechanics believe that many of the cars are write-offs, or have had their entire suspension shattered after hitting the hole. Essex County Council told the Guardian that they are looking into the matter although they only repair those holes which they deem to be of high risk.

A spokeswoman said: “Essex County Council has been carrying out pothole repairs in Epping this week including extensive jet patcher repairs. “Already more than 250 have been repaired. “Repairs must be prioritised to those which present the most immediate safety risk, however if the jet patcher crew is already attending the location it will repair any considered lower risk at the same time.”