Brian left sleepless by bump in the road

A night-shift worker is being driven to distraction by a damaged manhole outside his house.

Brian Armstead, of Shaw Road, Royton, is being kept awake during the day as traffic hits the cover, which is surrounded by a pothole and causes constant noise as traffic drives over it.

To add to his growing frustration, he has been passed from one organisation to another as he tries to discover who is responsible for its repair.

Brian first contacted Oldham Council when the manhole surface began to wear last year. The council insisted the Highways Agency was responsible — but officials there laid responsibility on United Utilities. An engineer passed the blame back to the Highways Agency — which told Brian to contact the council.

Brian said: “It is just a nightmare. I’m getting no sleep, so I’m constantly tired. I’m sick of being passed around and no-one being able to help. It must be damaging cars, too.”

The council told the Chronicle it would repair the pothole and contact United Utilities.