After the heaviest snowfall for many years Ross is now facing the thaw. The river was very high at the weekend although by the time we went to press on Tuesday the level had started to drop. The benches along the bank which had been virtually covered were now visible.

The greatest problem caused by the snow is the damage it does to the roads. Herefordshire Council and its highways partner, Amey Herefordshire, are gearing up to address the damage which is the legacy of the icy weather over the last few weeks.

With around 2050 miles of roads in the county, teams will be scouring the streets and lanes across Herefordshire to make sure that all hazardous potholes are repaired as soon as possible.

Several people have contacted the Ross Gazette to say that they are concerned about certain stretches of roads including Cantilupe Road, Walford Road and The Avenue (pictures page 6).

"We have contingencies in our budgets for the impact of winter on our roads," explained Clive Hall, Herefordshire Council's highway network manager.

"Every year the wintry weather takes its toll on the roads – with water freezing, expanding and breaking up the road surface creating potholes.

"We're expecting it to be worse this year as we've had such a prolonged period of freezing weather. However, teams from Amey Herefordshire are out and about already repairing potholes," he added.

The teams will also be inspecting drains at critical locations to make sure they are not blocked by debris and not the cause of localised flooding.

If anyone spots a pothole, they are asked to contact the street care line on 01432 261800 or email [email protected]">[email protected]