BRITAIN'S drivers claimed almost £6 million in compensation last year for damage to their cars caused by potholes.

The figure has been revealed in a new study by Citroen which revealed that nearly one third of cars on the nation's roads had suffered pothole-related damage.

In a study of 2,000 UK drivers conducted in March this year, 32 per cent said their car had been damaged after hitting a pothole.

The average repair cost for the damage was £141.95, although 11 per cent of the drivers surveyed said they had spent more than £251 on getting their car back on the road.

Nearly a quarter of those with vehicle damage said they had tried to claim back the cost of the repairs from their local council, while 42 per cent of the study participants said they wished their vehicle had better suspension to help deal with the rougher roads in the UK.

According to the latest Asphalt Industry Alliance ALARM report, local authorities in England and Wales paid £5.9 million in pothole related compensation to drivers in 2019/2020.

The ALARM report found that while a pothole is filled in England and Wales every 21 seconds, authorities face an annual budget fall of £826.6 million, with nine per cent of the road network in poor condition and likely to require maintenance in the next 12 months.

Citroen is flagging up the figures as it goes about fitting enhanced suspension to a more of its models including the new C4 and the electric e-C4.

The Advanced Comfort system helps vehicles deal with poor road surfaces while keeping occupants comfortable.

It is also available on the company's new C3 hatcback, the C5 Aircross SUV and the upcoming new C3 Aircross.

Eurig Druce, managing director of Citroen UK, said: "It is concerning to find that potholes have caused damage to nearly a third of drivers' cars across England and Wales.

"Local authorities have a lot of issues to solve and this will take time, I am therefore proud that Citroën is able to offer vehicles that are already set up to tackle real-world driving conditions on our roads."