Pranksters have stuck signs next to Denbighshire potholes proclaiming them 'shortcuts to Australia' in protest at the state of the county's roads.
The damaged road between Bontuchel and Ruthin is impassable on one side with potholes covering a five metre stretch.
The situation is so bad that part of the road has collapsed into a ditch by its side.
And now a mystery wag has taken the step of mocking the state of the road.
The sign appeared over the weekend, with Cyffylliog resident, Kelly McGregor, saying it showed just how frustrated people in the area had become over the state of the road.
She said: “This did make me chuckle when I saw it. But it does show just how frustrated people have become with the state of the road there. People have had to put up with this all winter and it has even led to people paying out to get their car repaired. Hopefully this will be sorted as soon as possible but it should never have got to this state.”
Work has begun on the repairing the road this week but according to the local county councillor residents are fed up with the pace of getting the job started.
Llanrhaeadr county councillor, Joe Welch, said: “I have been in contact with the highways team and work is due to start today on some of the issues around drainage. Once all this work has been completed sections of the road can then be resurfaced.
“Also, work around the BT chamber will be carried out this week. I have been assured I will be getting a weekly update on progress which I will then be relaying to the community on their Facebook page to ensure the residents know what is going on. Residents are still annoyed at the pace of progress on this stretch of road as many drive on it every day but hopefully with work due to start today this should alleviate some of their frustration. ”
A spokesman for the council had previously said: “The situation is not straightforward. Historically water from a farm at the top of the hill to Bontuchel has flowed into the highway drainage system and then out across private land downstream. Recently the drains at the top farm have failed and this has resulted in very dirty water entering the highway drain and then contaminating the private land to the extent that the owner downstream has blocked the outfall.
“We are now working with the farmer at the top of the hill to improve the situation and have an undertaking from the other landowner that they will re-open the system, once they are satisfied that the quality of the water has improved.”
Other political news from North Wales today
Outline proposals for 15 new homes on the site of a former hockey pitch have been given the green light by council planners.
The development, including five affordable homes, had been submitted for what is now an empty field but was once a hockey pitch and is owned by Gr p Llandrillo Menai at Allt Salem in Pwllheli.
This afternoon, Gwynedd council's planning committee approved the application but more detailed plans will need to be submitted and approved before any construction can begin.
The application site has already been allocated for housing as part of the Joint Local Development Plan (JLDP) for up to 17 homes, but the applicants felt that 15 would be a more appropriate number considering the size of the land.
But addressing the committee meeting in Pwllheli, one member urged members to consider road safety aspects despite the application being recommended for approval by planning officers.
"I'm not comfortable with the application due to its location," said Cllr Gruff Williams.
"The road we're talking about here is a narrow, single track one, and is very dangerous.
"Towards Llannor there is another road towards Iocws and the Bryn Beryl hospital, and I feel that many will be tempted to use this road if travelling from the direction of Caernarfon in order to avoid the town centre traffic.
"The town council has also mentioned the toad and although there is a need for affordable homes in Pwllheli , I cannot support this application as it is."
A spokesman for the agent said that preliminary discussions had taken place with housing associations who may take on the development themselves, but that at least five affordable homes would be built as part of the scheme.
While Cllr Anne Lloyd Jones noted that the time to oppose the scheme was during the drawing up of the Joint Local Development Plan, with planning officer Gareth Jones warning members that any refusal by the committee would be likely to lose upon appeal.
Meanwhile, members also followed the advice of officers in refusing plans to build seven new homes in Blaenau Ffestiniog .
The application on the former Gwylfa Garage site on Manod Road, had been submitted in 2017 but planning officers had so far failed to obtain the necessary information from the applicants.
The plans involved seven detached single storey homes for the elderly but planning officers concluded they had "no choice" to recommend refusal, which was unanimously rubber-stamped by members.
"The site could be suitable but we have yet to receive the necessary information from the applicant in order to carry out a full assessment," said Cara Owen.
"This is despite contacting the applicant on several applications, but nothing had been forthcoming.
"As a result, we have no choice but to put the matter to bed."
