A top motoring expert has urged drivers to avoid taking one common automotive complaint into their own hands, warning that it could result in all manner of troubles.

The UK is currently facing a plague of potholes, with the tracking service Stan the App predicting there are around 11.5 million across the country's road network.

However, Nicholas Lyes, the RAC's Head of Roads Policy, suggested that drivers should never attempt to fill in a pothole themselves, which could put them at risk of accidents.

He warned: "As frustrating as pothole-riddled roads can be, drivers should not be tempted to repair surfaces themselves.

"Firstly, there are safety risks associated with working in a road. Secondly, local authorities will have their own procedures and standards on how best to repair the road, and a DIY job is unlikely to conform to this."

Whilst it may be tempting to fill in any particularly troubling potholes in their area, the RAC urged all drivers to leave the repairs to the professionals in a bid to stay safe and avoid fines.

One of the main reasons why motorists should avoid tackling potholes is due to the safety risk they would likely create, having to tackle fast-moving traffic on an open road.

The organisation also highlighted that repairing a pothole also takes a great deal of preparation before anything can be added to fill in the gap.

As a result, any jobs made by amateur road repairers is unlikely to last for more than a few days and may even make the issue worse.

Instead, Nicholas recommended that drivers frustrated with a certain pothole report it to their local authority, which could help to raise awareness of the issue.

He continued: "In addition, taking matters into your own hands could make you liable for any defects and damage that subsequently occurs, both to the road surface and to other vehicles.

"The best thing drivers can do is to report potholes and other defects to the highways authorities as soon as possible so they can be fixed properly."

Whilst local authorities tackle the majority of potholes in their area, the RAC also highlighted that larger organisations can also be contacted for issues on motorways.

These include National Highways for any potholes in England, NI Direct for Northern Ireland, GOV.Scot in Scotland, and Traffic Wales in Wales.

During the last budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves highlighted that local authorities would receive a £1.6 billion fund to be used repairing the road network.