HAMPSHIRE motorists were facing a nightmare on the roads today, with record numbers of breakdowns and massive congestion.

The AA was gearing up for one of its busiest days of the year with hundreds of extra patrols being drafted in to deal with increased breakdowns as commuters returned to work.

Last year, "return to work day" at the start of January saw the AA called to more than 22,500 breakdowns - more than double the normal figure for a Monday.

The return of the school run was also adding thousands of extra cars to the county's roads.

The AA has also warned that major road works starting this month on the M25 will mean the M3, from Southampton to London, will become clogged with heavy traffic.