The Herald Pothole Watch team went to Beech and found a cracker in Kings Hill.

Although the yellow rubber duck was on her day off, resident Sarah Barker fetched her metal tape measure for a more conventional measurement of its size.

Sarah said: “It’s 2.5 metres long, 40 centimetres wide and 15 centimetres deep at its largest points. It’s bigger than me!”

After Hampshire County Council sent crews to fix ‘Pothole Alley’ in Wield - highlighted in the Herald on January 29 - there was more good news from Selborne, where a pothole on the B3006 featured in the Herald on February 12.

Jenny Reynolds, of Goslings Croft in Selborne, contacted the Herald about that one after numerous drivers with burst tyres limped into her road to park their vehicles and await recovery.

The story went on the Herald website on February 9. The following day Jenny said: “Well, talk about the power of the press.

“The highways engineer was seen this morning taking pictures of the trench and the ones on the other side of the road have been marked. Just amazing - you are certainly doing all road users an immense service!”

And on February 11, she added: “It has been filled! Looks a bit temporary, and bets are being taken about how long it will last, but it is definitely progress and at least they are taking notice.”