DRIVERS who buy second-hand tyres are being warned to check they are legal and have passed the relevant safety checks.

So-called ‘part-worn’ tyres are legal to sell in the UK, provided they meet a minimum tread depth of 2mm, have passed a range of safety checks, are clearly and permanently stamped and have paperwork verifying their origin.

Now the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Police Scotland and other partners have launched a campaign to crack down on potentially unsafe tyres being sold illegally as part-worn tyres.

Kath McDowall, of SEPA, said: “Rather than taking the dealers’ word for it, consumers need to do their own visual inspection.

"Your checks should include that the tyre doesn’t have nails in it, is fully inflated and the grooves of the tread are still clearly visible.”