A spate of accidents on a 200-metre stretch of road have been blamed on - the wrong surface.

Officials have launched an investigation after routine tests showed the surface of Wodehouse Lane, Wombourne, Staffordshire, did not provide enough grip and was causing cars to skid.

Residents said there had been several accidents since it was re-surfaced in October 2004, but the problem was only spotted by officials after t wo routine tests last December.

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Jeremy Herbert, spokesman for the Staffordshire Road Safety Unit, said the road had undergone several resurfacing operations over the last two years and a new surface had not yet been laid.

He said: "The road was completely rebuilt in October 2004 - a process which involved resurfacing.

"During the first half of 2005 the road material was tested after three slight injuries and one serious accident but there was found to be no indication that the material was abnormal.

"Then after a spate of accidents during the last few months of 2005, two resulting in injuries, more testing revealed the road surface material was not performing as expected."

Rick Kennedy, from Wolverhampton, is among those seeking damages after his Rover - which he bought six weeks earlier for £1,200 - overturned on the road.

He escaped with minor injuries but the car was a write-off. He said: "I can't claim on my insurance, which was third-party only."

Vicky Stackhouse, of Wodehouse Lane, described the road as "a death-trap".

She said: "The road has a very slippy surface and there are about two accidents a week.

"There is a double bend and people come speeding round it. I have problems pulling out of my drive sometimes."

A spokesman for Staffordshire County Council said: "The council has suspended the supply of that type of material and investigations are under way. Speed restrictions are in place and action will be taken to replace the surface as soon as possible."

He added: "The material used is defined as 'grades of grit' and like all natural products you always get a slightly unusual batch.

"Our materials are all tested on delivery as well as being tested by the manufacturer - tests are carried out on a six-monthly basis and it is a good job we have this rigorous testing procedure.

"Rain, snow, ice and wind mean it's hard to make sure the material bonds with the road. It's not a good idea to lay road surfaces in these conditions. Surface dressing, as it is called, is a temperature and water-sensitive process.

"We have treated the 200-metre stretch of road with an anti-skid surface which will add another layer of grip to the road. To be doubly sure there are no accidents on the rest of the road, we are also going to treat the rest of the road, that is the stretch where no accidents occurred."