MOTORISTS were forced to make emergency repairs to their cars this morning when they hit a mysterious metal object which punctured their tyres.

It is thought a lorry had shed part of its load of nuts and bolts on the east-bound carriageway of the A31 at Poulner Hill, near Ringwood.

Traffic backed up through Ringwood as about six cars pulled off the road so the drivers could fit spare tyres.

The incident happened shortly before 7am. Within half an hour, traffic police had removed the obstruction and traffic was flowing freely again.

PC Gary Snelling, from Totton police station, told the Daily Echo: "There was a bit of metal in the road, but we're not sure at the moment exactly what it was."