POLICE are making enquiries into a report that someone is spreading screws and nails across a busy and narrow road that runs through the close-knit neighbourhood.

It is not the first time that someone has reported the occurrence in Salisbury Road with reports of similar objects getting stuck in vehicle tyres over the summer.

Police say they have recently arrested and cautioned a woman for carrying out the dangerous act but another report has been made since then and a spokesperson said they are continuing to make enquiries into the incident.

Judy Jamieson, chairman of Burton and Winkton Parish Council, said: “The parish council is aware of what has been happening and deplores the actions of whoever is doing this and endangering lives.

“We support the police in their efforts to apprehend whoever is carrying out these stupid acts. The police are keeping us updated at every turn.

“Obviously it is a concern. The villagers of Winkton are worried.”

The parish council, aware of local concerns, deployed a sweeper truck to go around the roads in Winkton clearing up any debris at the village’s annual end of summer clean-up in September.

A spokesperson from Christchurch Tyre Company in Bargates said that they had hundreds of customers coming in over June, July and August with screws embedded in their tyres.

He said: “It got really bad over the summer with so many people coming in saying they had all been travelling from the same area with screws in their tyres.

“Alarm bells really started to ring when we had 25 instances in over three days.”

Keith Cavill, chairman of Winkton Residents Association said he had heard of some reports of this happening but had no further information.