Many motorists unwittingly driving UK write-offs

A large number of Irish motorists are unwittingly driving cars that have been written off in Britain, according to the Cartell website.

The company says it has carried out a study of 4,479 vehicles previously registered in the UK which were imported into Ireland between 2001 and 2005.

It says 320 of them had been classed as write-offs in Britain before being repaired and resold in Ireland.

Cartell claims up to 23,000 vehicles currently operating on Irish roads may have been written off in the UK.