Single mum Julie Willis says she and her daughter narrowly escaped death after their electric bike – top speed 15mph – hit a four-inch deep pothole.

A woman motorist driving behind them managed to swerve out of the way as the duo came to a grinding halt.

Julie says if the incident had been at night instead of the afternoon, the driver would have had no chance of missing them.

The 36-year-old had just picked up her daughter Katie-Ann from the Isle of Sheppey Academy and was riding back to their home in Aspen Drive.

The back wheel sunk into the holed road on the Broadway, Minster, close to the junction of Sexburga Drive.

It took them two hours to push the damaged bike home. Julie tried to fix the vehicle with the help of a friend.

She said: “That bike cost me £700 and to get it professionally repaired will cost about £150 – a lot of money for a single parent.”

She now intends to take the matter up with Kent Highways Services which is responsible for the road’s upkeep.

Julie could well be forgiven for thinking her bike is jinxed.

Some 12 months ago she was stopped 17 times by policemen for not wearing a safety helmet – although for that type of electric bike the law does not require one.