A driver has been given a fine and three driving licence points after being caught with a worn tyre below the legal tread depth.

Traffic officers stopped the motorist at on the A14 at Haughley on Friday, January 4.

Officers from the Norfolk and Suffolk Roads and Armed Policing Team Tweeted after the incident: “The law requires car tyres to have a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm in a continuous band around the central 3/4 of the tyre. Not 0.99mm in this case.

“Driver knew it was low but continued to drive. Reported and now changing tyre. #fine #3points.”

Worn tyres are said to be particularly dangerous in the wet, because a tyre’s tread can disperse water and help the car stay on the road.

The maximum punishment per tyre is £2,500 and three penalty points on a driving licence - meaning someone could lose their licence is all four tyres are illegal.