A botched pothole repair has angered businesses in Bushey who say their shop fronts are getting showered with rubble and dirty water.

Hertfordshire County Council, which manages the road network, temporarily repaired damage to the road in Sparrows Herne, near to the junction with Claybury, a fortnight ago but the “shoddy” job angered neighbours.

Since returning to permanently fill the hazardous hole last Wednesday, the authority has come under further criticism by nearby businesses after the resulting repair “looked worse than before”.

Steven Tucker, managing director at The Payroll Site next door to the offensive road damage, said: “The first time they refilled it, it wasn’t at the right level but when they came back it was clear at the end of the job that the repair wasn’t going to last.

“There was loose gravel at either end and it has just been churned up as cars run over it. It is terrible. Every time it rains it fills with water and the front of our office gets sprayed with loose pebbles and dirty water, not to mention the rubble that has showered the pavement. I’m hoping they will come back quickly and do a proper job.”

One shopkeeper who did not want to be named branded the repair job a “disgrace” and demanded the council return.

He said: “It is not good enough - we pay our taxes to have these things fixed.”

A county council representative said it was looking into the matter.