A roads campaigner has won compensation for damage caused to his car.

George Galdies received £300 from Kent County Council after complaining that loose chippings from the B2229 Brookfield Road, South Ashford, damaged his 1996 Volvo 850.

Mr Galdies, of nearby Boxley, has long been campaigning over the condition of Brookfield Road.

He said: “I am pleased that I have won. My car was damaged by loose chipping all around the front. There were so many marks on it, it looked like spotted dick.

“This was a matter of principle. I don’t see why I should have to pay road tax and council tax and then have to pay for damage to my car because of the road’s condition.”

Mr Galdies has fought for several years for improvements to Brookfield Road.

The road has had cracks, crumbling joints and grass growing through the asphalt and as long as a year ago he complained of chippings coming off and hitting cars.

He said his own was damaged, covered in dots on the front where the paint had come off.

Mr Galdies has been backed in his campaign by Ashford South ward county councillor Derek Smyth.

He explained: “The road was originally built in the 1950s with concrete slabs but it is now a major road between west and east Ashford, and used by lorries, which the old surface can’t cope with.

“The surface has made the road noisy when lorries pass and the slabs rock under the wheels.”

Previous attempts to resurface the road have not stopped cracks reappearing and Kent County Council last year said that it was designing a carriageway strengthening scheme.

It said the works would be carried out in 2007/08 if funding was available.

Cllr Smyth said that some of the work has now been done and the authority intends to do the rest when it has the money.

Kent County Council spokesman Phil Scrivener said: “KCC paid Mr Galdies £300 for damages to his car before the case went to court but the council did not admit liability.”