Squirrel Causes Car To Break Down

An AA patrolman thought he was going to be unable to fix a broken-down car - until he discovered a squirrel had been using the engine as a secret stash for hundreds of acorns.

Basingstoke patrol Andy Smith initially struggled with the car, parked next to an oak tree on a farm in Micheldever, Hampshire. Eventually he found a blocked air pipe, and the cause of the problem became immediately apparent.

''The pipe and air box were literally rammed with acorns - they just poured out. The air intake is about the width of a drinks can, so the squirrel obviously thought it made the perfect secret stash.''

Mr Smith used a handheld vacuum cleaner to clean out the last of the debris, and got the car running again, the AA said.