Potty

Local councils are paying out more in pothole compensation claims than they are spending on fixing cracks in roads, new research showed today. Officials complained that a compensation culture has been created by no-win, no-fee lawyers and said legislation needed tightening to prevent "spurious" claims. Around £53m was paid out to motorists in England and Wales last year, which could have been spent repairing an extra 946,429 potholes, or more than a quarter of the estimated 3.5 million holes in roads, said councils.

(Not just motorists, surely. Potholes are deadliest for those on two wheels.)