Retiring campaigner Mr Pothole is 'still watching'

Mr Pothole borrowed a tank from a firm in Helmdon, near Brackley, to take his message to Parliament Square

A campaigner known as "Mr Pothole" says he will still be keeping an eye on the state of the roads despite retiring from his role.

Mark Morrell, from Brackley, Northamptonshire, has been flying the flag for better road maintenance for nearly 12 years.

Highlights of his campaign have included taking an orange tank to Parliament Square.

Mr Morrell, 63, said his wife's deteriorating health had led to his decision to step aside.

Mark Morrell launched his quest for safer roads after reporting a dangerous pothole in the village of Farthinghoe, near Brackley.

He said he called the police after the county council failed to respond to his report, and the defect was repaired two hours later.

After he heard about several other similar instances, he set up a Brackley pothole Facebook page.

"I only intended to do it for six months just to see what difference I could make locally," he said.

"I didn't expect it to end up being nearly 12 years nationally and internationally – doing interviews with French TV and Spanish media."

Passers-by were surprised to see the tank making its way through London

He set up National Pothole Day in 2015 and celebrated the annual event in 2020 by taking an orange tank to London for a trip around Parliament Square.

It was reported in 2023 that he had teamed up with Pot Noodle to fill potholes with the instant snacks.

As well as carrying out dozens of media interviews, he has helped people across the UK and beyond get dangerous defects repaired.

Mr Pothole measured the depth and width of potholes to prove that they needed repairing

Mr Morrell is particularly proud of a case in the hamlet of Crowfield, Northamptonshire, where residents had been complaining about the roads for years.

"There was an elderly lady there who'd had a hip replacement and a neighbour was having to take her to [the nearby village of] Syresham so she could exercise as part of her rejuvenation," he said.

"I got the road resurfaced, and someone sent me a picture of her on Boxing Day able to walk along the road outside her house safely on her own.

"That's a real highlight for me. It's the human things – that's why I did it."

Mark Morrell, seen here on BBC Breakfast, received national and international coverage during his campaign

Mr Morrell said that despite his decision to retire from active campaigning, he was not planning to fall silent.

"I'm still watching, and I will pop up from time to time with the odd comment," he said.

"I don't want them to think I've gone away completely."