BY SIMON BELGARD

North west London drivers are being warned that buying illegal used tyres or getting punctures repaired incorrectly could have fatal consequences.

The warning follows research by Trading Standards officers across north west London which found that some dealers are putting lives at risk by flouting laws on the sale and repair of tyres.

Almost a third of tyres tested earlier this month were unsafe.

Several had faults which could easily have caused blow-outs and nine did not display the legally required markings.

A Trading Standards spokesman said: 'Until dealers improve their practices, used tyres will continue to present a serious danger to road users.

'We strongly urge anyone contemplating buying cheap replacement tyres for their motor vehicle to think seriously about their own safety and that of other road users.'

The probe into tyre repairs produced even more worrying results.

Seventy two per cent of the tyres tested by trading standards were found to have been repaired incorrectly.

Many of these were unsafe with a real risk of causing blow-outs and leading to potentially fatal accidents.

As a result of this year's survey, two Ealing traders have received written warnings advising them of their legal obligations when making repairs and there is a prosecution case pending against one trader.