DRIVERS are being warned about the dangers of potholes as winter approaches. With a cold snap predicted to hit next week, garages are warning motorists to be aware of the hidden damage that can be caused by bumps in the road.

Director of Autofit in Britannia Road David Chapman said the garage expects to see a rise in wheels damaged by poor road surfaces as the weather worsens.

He said: “We will start to see more from December to March.

“It definitely gets worse after the first few cold snaps – when they’ve been gritting and large machinery has run over slightly damaged roads.”

Mr Chapman recommends drivers get their wheels checked by a garage if they drive over a large pothole, even if the car looks all right from the outside. “Going over a pothole normally damages the inside of the wheel, because that’s the most vulnerable part of the wheel,” he said.

“It’s a part you can’t see and it’s normally only picked up when it comes to having an MOT or service.

“We see a lot of rims that are dinged or damaged and it’s usually pot hole-related. People don’t realise how bad the rim is, potentially you could have an accident because of it.”

Two years ago The Star launched its Spot the Pot campaign and we were inundated with reports on potholes. We gave a list to the county council and now we need readers’ help to do the same again. Send your pothole pictures to www.iwitness24.co.uk