Moon craters sign appears on pothole complaints road

The sign was stuck over a Welcome to Caithness signpost at Ord of Caithness

A sign reading "Welcome to the Moon - caution craters" has appeared in an area of the Highlands where residents have repeatedly complained about potholes.

The joke message has been stuck over an official "Welcome to Caithness" signpost at Ord of Caithness on the county's boundary with Sutherland.

Iain Gregory, of Caithness Roads Recovery campaign group, said: "Whilst the sign was clearly intended as a light-hearted comment by a frustrated member of the public, it sends out a very serious message."

Highland Council said its maintenance teams did a "stellar" job in dealing with potholes, adding that councillors had also recently agreed to invest £60m in roads and transport infrastructure.

Caithness Roads Recovery has called for urgent improvements to road surfaces in the local area

Caithness Roads Recovery is gathering evidence of the state of local public roads, and has called for urgent improvements.

Mr Gregory said: "The Highland Council 'maintained' roads in Caithness are now nothing more than a patchwork quilt of neglect, a shocking testament to the marginalisation of the far north."

He said the area had suffered the effects of constant centralisation of services and under-investment over many years."

Campaigners say residents are frustrated about the state of public roads

Highland Council's economy and infrastructure committee chairman Ken Gowans praised the work of road teams.

The local authority has also been trialling a new technology called thermal road repairs.

Mr Gowans said: "The road maintenance our teams are undertaking throughout Highland is stellar, we are also testing equipment that some consider light years ahead."

Highland Council said the results of the thermal repair trial would be reviewed and put to councillors for decisions at a later date.

Residents of north-west Skye have also complained about the state of their roads, saying the potholes are so bad there is barely any road surface left.

Minginish peninsula's community council said residents of the area feel forgotten.