THE next time you career over a horrific pothole in Worcestershire, what have you got, if not a lot (of bills to pay)?

One things for sure, Worcestershire County Council’s highways team are doing it “their way” - and if you’re a Frank Sinatra fan, look away now.

Inspired by the popularity of YouTube, County Hall’s road chiefs have put together an amusing, or perhaps embarrassing, mickey-taking video even ‘Ol Blue Eyes might have chuckled at.

The video features tuxedo-sporting highways boss Jon Fraser, singing his own version of ‘My Way’ showing how important it is to report potholes across Worcestershire.

It shows him walking down a road singing “complaints, we get a few”, before belting out “we’ll lay each tarmac course, not when it’s wet, but on a dry day,” with Sinatra’s main line changed to “at work in highways”.

The authority say the video was inspired by Torfaen Council in Wales, which used YouTube and a singing Elvis to spread the word about gritting and maintaining roads in the winter.

The county council’s effort took half a day to create and another day to edit, which cost around £800 and was funded by Ringway, Worcestershire’s highways contractor.

Mr Fraser, who won’t be compared to The Voice any time soon, said: “We're grateful to Torfaen Council for the inspiration, and we're really excited about the launch of Worcestershire Highways' own video, ‘At work in highways’, which we hope broadcasts a serious and important message about the value of reporting potholes in an enjoyable way.”

10 alternative songs they could have chosen

Road to Hell - Chris Rea
(Tar)Mack The Knife - Bobby Darin
It’s Only Rock n’ ‘Hole’ But I Like It - The Rolling Stones
Pot-hole lotta love - Led Zeppelin
Road to Nowhere - Talking Heads
Damaged - Damity Kane
Highway to Hell - AC/DC
Keep Us On The Road - Beck
Wreck on the Highway - Bruce Springsteen
Bump N’ Grind - R Kelly

REACTION: 'The only answer they've got is a stupid video'

A DRIVER stung by a pothole in Worcestershire says he doesn’t find the video funny - and has questioned the timing of it.
Derek Jones, 54, of Norton, near Worcester, featured on the front page of your Worcester News last week after a hole caused £165 of damage to his car in nearby Church Lane.
Mr Jones, who had his claim for compensation rejected by County Hall, said: “I think it’s stupid and sums up their mentality.
“It’s terribly bad timing, it’s almost as though the only answer they’ve got is to make an embarrassing video with all those blokes in the background, it’s disgusting.”
The county council say they are repairing 200 potholes a day at the moment, and have filled in over 5,000 since January.
The authority says it has 800 miles of roads to maintain across Worcestershire and new potholes are appearing daily.

What do you think? Was the video in bad taste considering recent controversy over potholes, or is it harmless fun to raise awareness of the good work being done?

Whatever your view, use the form below to let us know.