Urgent pothole warning as they damage more than a quarter of Brit motorists’ cars in the last year

MORE than a quarter of motorists’ cars have been damaged by potholes in Britain in the last year.

Up to ten million drivers — 27 per cent — fell foul of the suspension-busting craters.

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RAC estimate there is as many as a million potholes in Britain[/caption]

Potholes cause up to £7.5billion damage a year but penny-pinching councils paid out just 12 per cent of compensation claims, figures from motor gear retailer Halfords reveal.

West Northamptonshire council upheld just one claim — worth £148 — despite receiving 849 from furious road users.

Halfords surveyed 2,000 drivers who had been hit in the wallet by poor roads — and found pothole damage costs an average £718 to fix.

Ministers boosted a pothole repair fund by £200million to £700million for the current financial year but critics are demanding more resources.

Earlier this month the RAC estimated there were as many as a million potholes in Britain.

Halfords’ boss Graham Stapleton called its figures “worrying”, adding they “highlight the “true cost of the lack of investment in UK roads.

“It’s not just about cost, it’s about safety, with nearly a quarter of motorists saying a pothole in the road has led to an accident or a near miss.

“Few things are more frightening than being presented with a huge pothole when travelling on a motorway at full speed – forcing drivers to make a split-second decision as to whether they can avoid it, or simply have to plough through it and hope for the best.”

Last month we told how the AA had been called to 20 per cent more pothole incidents because of rainy weather.