The RAC said that the cold weather snap has created "the perfect recipe for potholes" on roads - a combination of heavy rain and freezing temperatures.

The water that enters into cracks expands when frozen.

This then causes the road surfaces to crumble.

Pothole-related vehicle breakdowns are on the rise.

The RAC responded to an average of 20 call-outs a day for faults such as damaged shock absorbers, broken suspension springs and distorted wheels between October and December last year.

That was up from 16 a day in the previous three months.

The latest figures were released to mark National Pothole Day on Sunday.

Nicholas Lyes, head of roads policy at the RAC, said: "The wet weather we've had both before and after the coldest start to winter in 12 years in December is the perfect recipe for potholes to start peppering the roads.

"We fear that by the spring, drivers will be plagued by a plethora of potholes across the country's roads which makes journeys uncomfortable and frustrating or, worse still, could lead to very expensive garage repair bills."

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Potholes can also be a danger on the roads, "especially for those on two wheels as they represent a huge risk to their personal safety", Mr Lyes added.

The Department for Transport said: "We are investing more than £5bn from 2020 to 2025 into local highways maintenance - including the potholes fund announced at the 2020 Budget."

The aim is to fill millions of potholes a year, repair bridges and resurface roads across the country.