Hot off the presses from the Highways Agency comes news of the latest weapon in its armoury to keep the country's roads free-flowing and congestion free.

Is it a sophisticated traffic management system? Some sort of mega-computer coupled with a huge satellite and a big array of blinking lights? More traffic officers in funky-coloured 4x4s? Nope, it's a big magnet.

The magnet in question is attached to a road sweeper and it has been used to clear debris from several roads in the south east - the M4, M3 and A34.

According to the press release it has picked up nails, spanners, wheel nuts, scaffold clips and money over the last 18 months.

In fact given that the total weight of the metal collected so far is some three tonnes you can't help but wonder if there is small family car stuck to the magnet somewhere, its occupants wondering if they will be allowed out any time soon.