Locals who were irked by the appalling condition of a road planted a tree in a giant water-filled pothole.

One of the residents, Erwin Majam, said they had repeatedly pleaded with authorities to carry out repairs since last year but without success.

Footage shows the youngsters watering a banana stalk they have just sowed on the massive hole in Bangko City, Jambi province, Indonesia, on January 10.

Erwin said they did it as a form of protest after the government failed to fix the unsafe surface of the Rangkayo Hitam Road.

He said: 'The condition of the road has become a serious concern. They make small repairs but soon after it becomes damaged again.

'Residents complained about water runoff flowing onto the road which causes even more damage.

'We all pay taxes so we're angry that the money is not being spent on something that's essential.'

Erwin added motorcycle riders who pass through the area and are unaware of the large holes have been hurt when they bump through the craters.

He said: 'No proper repairs have been made yet until today, January 15.'

Indonesia and many Southeast Asian countries often have potholes and poor road conditions. The region experiences heavy rainfall and tropical storms, damaging roads. Cities growing quickly can also strain infrastructure development, leaving roads underdeveloped.