I'm hoping someone can help with advice about how to claim compensation from a Local Authority for paint damage to my XFire.

Around 9:15pm last Sunday I was driving at about 50mph along a good 'A' class main road - clear, dry conditions, no other traffic, temp +5C, just outside Newport in Pembrokeshire, when I was passed by a gritting lorry going like a bat out of hell in the opposite direction.

Most of us have had met gritters and usually the grit is spread pretty low to the ground at a fairly low speed and not too much of a problem.

Unfortunately, this gritter was spewing the stuff out in a blanket to above windscreen height - it was like going through a hail of bullets - and so loud I ducked down in case the screen broke. I did manage to slow down at the last second when I saw what I was about to go through, but there was no way I could have avoided the grit.

When I saw the chips and pits next morning I was gutted - the windshield has a few tiny chips (very small) and the front panels have chips in the paint on metal and little dents (grit size) in the plastic panels. None of the damage is mega, but there is quite a lot of it and it wasn't there before.

If anyone in the UK has any experience claiming against a lcal Council for vehicle damage, or can give me advice on the best way to go about making a claim, I would appreciate any help you can give.

Cheers,
Ian.