A FAMILY in Cirencester have hit out at council chiefs after a grandmother needed emergency dental surgery when she tripped on a pothole.

Sandra Masters, 63, was visiting family last Wednesday when she tripped on broken paving in Dollar Street.

She smashed her face with such force that a front tooth pierced her lip and was knocked out. She was rushed to Cirencester A&E and also needed emergency dental surgery to replace the broken tooth.

Mrs Masters, who was fitted with a false tooth because of the accident said she was in a lot of discomfort because of the accident.

"My neck, legs and face are so sore and I'm in an incredible amount of pain," she explained.

"It was so scary because I couldn't walk and my lip was bleeding very badly. People had to carry me out of the road while cars were rushing past."

Her son Adam Masters, of Querns Lane, urged the county council to improve the state of highways in Cirencester, saying next time someone could be critically injured.

He said: "Mum was covered in terrible cuts and bruises but it could have been far worse. Quite clearly someone has to address this problem now."

Sales consultant Anitha Muthukumaran (CORR), 27, of West Market Place clothing store Phase Eight, rushed to help after witnessing the accident.

"I tripped in that pothole about two weeks ago and I needed first aid from one of the shops because I had concussion," she said. "I've heard of several different people who had fallen in potholes in Dollar Street. Why has nothing been done?"

Gloucestershire Highways manager Scott Macaulay-Lowe said last week's incident was the first time the pothole had been reported to them.

He added: "Our safety inspectors will go out to assess it. If the damage meets the necessary criteria, the pothole will be programmed for repair."