Huddersfield potholes force sale of limited edition Volvo

Feb 9 2010 by Barry Gibson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A MOTORIST has traded in his limited edition car after losing four tyres to potholes in as many months.

John Slumbers has sold his sporty Volvo 850 T5R – one of only four left in the country – and bought a sturdier vehicle to cope with Huddersfield’s roads.

The Marsden man made the decision after hitting a pothole in Newsome last week, causing £300 of damage.

The accident happened after Mr Slumbers turned left from King’s Bridge Road on to King’s Mill Lane around 7.30pm last Thursday.

Mr Slumbers, 29, said: “There was a line of potholes on the left-hand side between 1.5in and 2in deep. In the dark you just can’t see them because the area is not well-lit.

“I was only doing 30mph but there was a massive bang and the car started to weave. I had a flat tyre and a damaged rim.”

It was the fourth time that Mr Slumbers has had to replace a tyre on his 300-horsepower Volvo.

He said: “It’s happened to me on Tintern Avenue in Milnsbridge and Warehouse Hill Road in Marsden. On another occasion I only realised I had a flat when I pulled up in Tesco Express on Wakefield Road after coming through Moldgreen.

“It’s ridiculous, it’s so annoying.”

Mr Slumbers, who runs engine tuning company Kudos Technical, sold his Volvo after the Newsome accident.

He said: “I wanted to own a nice vehicle and the car I had was one of only four left in the UK, only 2,500 of them were made.