A woman who sprained her ankle falling over a pothole was “shocked” when the council told her repairing it was not a priority.

Lucy Austen, 34, from Bovingdon, had just finished shopping in the village’s Tesco when she tumbled into the middle of the road in High Street on Thursday, January 12.

She told the Watford Observer: “It was dark and unbeknown to me there was a pothole next to the kerb in the road.

Watford Observer: Lucy said she didn't understand why the council chose not to repair the pothole by the curb after repairing a pothole in the middle of the road only days earlier.Lucy said she didn't understand why the council chose not to repair the pothole by the curb after repairing a pothole in the middle of the road only days earlier. (Image: Lucy Austen)

“I stepped in the pothole, fell forward and was sprawled out in the middle off the road and was in absolute agony.”

Ms Austen, a headhunter, said she “crawled back to the kerb quickly” because the cars speed in Bovingdon High Street.

"I could wiggle my toes, so I quickly realised it wasn’t broken," she added. "But I was only able to hobble back home because a woman came to help me."

She has been left unable to drive or walk properly.

The next day, Ms Austen logged the pothole with Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) only to be told that it did not meet the requirement to be repaired.

She said: “I was shocked when I saw that. I’m young and fit, but an older person could break their hip or hit their head.”

Ms Austen also pointed out that part of the same road had been relayed on Monday, January 9, but this pothole had been left.

She said: “They filled in the big pothole but left the smaller one.

Watford Observer: Ms Austen warned a fall could be worse for an older person.Ms Austen warned a fall could be worse for an older person. (Image: Lucy Austen)

“My guess is that it's because the bigger one affects cars and HCC does not want to have to pay out for people’s tyres.”

A spokesperson for HCC said due to dealing with a high number of potholes because of the weather, the council is having to prioritise the most hazardous ones.  

They added: “Our repair crews are sometimes able to carry out repairs on smaller potholes while they are at a site, however this does use up time and material that might be better used on more urgent problems, so is not always possible, particularly at times like this when our crews are very busy.”