More than 100 miles of Somerset roads will be surface dressed this summer, including some in and around Shepton Mallet, to improve the surfaces for motorists and prevent potholes from forming.

Somerset County Council has published a full list of every road which will be dressed up until September, including those where the work has already been completed.

Work may continue after this date in the event of bad weather, or because of staffing issues as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

A total of 135 separate roads will be treated this summer, with work being carried out with mobile teams to reduce the impact on motorists.

The council has stated surface dressing can increase the lifespan of a given road by up to ten years.

Surface dressing works by coating the road with bitumen, covering it with stone chippings, rolling it to press the chips in, and then sweeping the road to remove any debris.

This process seals the road to prevent water getting under the surface to form potholes, and also improves skid resistance for braking vehicles.

The council's surface dressing teams are mobile, meaning large-scale road closures are not necessary.

However, because the work cannot be carried out in wet or overly hot conditions, the dates for each individual road are all subject to change.

Drivers are also advised to drive at slower speeds (20mph is advised) immediately after a road has been dressed, to prevent any loose material from damaging their vehicles.

A council spokesman said: "We purposely lay more chips than required to ensure that the whole surface is covered and we don't end up with bare patches.

"We leave the loose chips for a short period to be embedded by traffic, after which any surplus chips are swept clear.

"Advisory speed limit signs are left out for a few days until most of the loose chips have been removed.

"This is to maintain the safety of the highway user, protect the new dressing and to prevent damage to vehicles.

"Depending on the weather, we may carry out additional sweeping or dusting to minimise the effect on traffic."

Here are the roads in and around Shepton Mallet which either already have been or will be subject to surface dressing this summer:

Bolter's Lane, Shepton Mallet

Copplesbury Lane, Batcombe

Fosse Road/Stoke Hill, Stoke St Michael

Portway Hill/Snake Lake Hill/Vinings Hill, Batcombe

Southwood Lane, Southwood