A MOTORIST may be forced to pay out more than £500 to get his car back on the road after manufacturers stopped producing the tyre he needs.

Len Campbell, from Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, paid extra to have run flat tyres when he bought his BMW 118 Sport convertible five years ago.

The tyres prevent the need for a spare by giving motorists the leeway to drive home after receiving a puncture.

But when this happened to Mr Campbell last week, his attempts to replace the tyre, a 215/40R18, were fruitless as the manufacturer, Bridgestone, has stopped producing this size.

He was told another manufacturer may start selling them later in the year but this is not definite.

Mr Campbell, 70, said: “You either have all run flat tyres or all ordinary tyres. You can’t have a combination. This means I have to replace three perfectly good tyres as well as the one with a puncture in, which could cost more than £500.

“I am a bit peeved to be honest. I want to warn others who have the same car or are considering buying a second-hand one to be careful.”

Bridgestone and BMW were unavailable for comment.