Now we know where squirrels store their nuts in the winter!

Mechanics at White Rose Petersfield made a nutty discovery after a VW Golf limped into the Station Road garage following a loss of power on Stoner Hill.

The owner was bracing for a £1,200 turbo bill but she didn’t have to shell out, with the cause being 100 acorns crammed into the car’s air intake pipe.

Garage spokesman Leigh Belton said, “It was the second acorn-related incident we’ve seen this week and suggest drivers consider anti-rodent tape to prevent future problems of this nature.”

So, if your engine starts sounding rough, it may not be mechanical failure, just an industrious squirrel preparing for spring. Additional reporting by Ann Saunders.