'Daventry Banksie' shares inspiration for pothole campaign

The first sign suggested Daventry had been twinned with the Grand Canyon

A mysterious anti-pothole protester calling herself "Daventry Banksie" says her campaign is a battle against "an accident waiting to happen".

The signs began appearing in and around the Northamptonshire town last month.

"Daventry Banksie" (sic) who is female, having previously believed to be male, said she wanted to send a message "that this [road conditions] is not on".

West Northamptonshire Council says it understands "people's frustrations" and is prioritising "essential work first".

The Conservative-controlled council said it had received nearly 4,000 reports about potholes in Daventry in the past six months but that it was "significant task".

• Why are potholes so dangerous ?

Speaking to BBC Radio Northampton, "Daventry Banksie" said she was moved to take action, having followed behind her husband as he took his motorbike for its MOT.

She said: "I was thinking what on earth is he doing. He was in the middle of the road, then he was on the opposite side of the road.

"Suddenly I thought... I'm doing the same… it's the potholes. I'm sitting in my car watching my life on that bike. Because that's what he is. My heart was in my mouth."

Drivers negotiating the roundabout at Royal Oak were urged to "hold on tight"

The campaigner's first sign welcomed drivers to "Pot Hole City - twinned with Grand Canyon".

Later, one of the hand-painted signs dubbed a roundabout "Pot Holy Island", while another boasted two notices warning drivers of "hole after hole" and invited them to "hold on tight".

She said: "I wanted to get my political message across. I wanted to say to the people of Daventry, this is not on. We deserve better."

Asked why she had chosen to stay anonymous, "Daventry Banksie" said: "Because it's not about me. I want it to be like a Spartacus moment. I want everyone to say 'I am Daventry Banksie'."

In a statement, council leader Jonathan Nunn, said: "Like all councils we face a challenge with roads deteriorating in the cold and wet winter weather and requiring urgent action.

"We know the state of our roads matters to the public. We spend £26m across our road and transport services annually, but the reality is to properly resurface all our roads in West Northants would cost as much as £250m when our total budget for a year is just £400m."

He said: "Some of the repairs of most concern to residents in the Daventry area are on particular busy roundabouts, where we have repaired some, with one key roundabout scheduled for later this month as it requires a deeper repair which can only be properly repaired with the certainty of warmer spring weather."

Another sign announced the "divorce" between campaigner Daventry Banksie and West Northamptonshire Council