A MACHINE nicknamed the dragon because of its nozzle that blasts potholes with flames will soon be seen on Oxfordshire’s roads.

After the successful introduction of the first machine in 2015, the county council’s highways contractor Skanska will soon put a new ‘dragon’ to work on the county’s rural routes.

The original machine was shared with Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, but the new device will be dedicated to Oxfordshire’s roads.

Cabinet member for environment David Nimmo-Smith said: “The dragon patcher is five times faster than traditional methods and can do more work for the money.

“It is also safer as it is operated from the vehicle’s cabin and we found that it was well suited to Oxfordshire’s rural roads.

“Since 2015 it has made 5,000 repairs to potholes and larger patches across Oxfordshire.”

The machine was given its nickname because it breathes fire to de-ice and dry out the road surface enabling it to work all-year round.

The area is then cleaned with compressed air and sealed with a stone mix and hot bitumen emulsion.

The machine cuts the cost of fixing potholes from about £70 each to £10 each, contractor Skanska said after the first machine was introduced.