OWNERS of a car garage are hosting a free vehicle maintenance workshop after several customers reported being caught up in risky situations.

The women-only event, entitled Bring on the Girls, will be at Dunnington Motor Care, in Old Station Yard, and was almost fully booked within 12 hours of being publicised on social media.

Sarah Brooks, who runs the garage with her husband Graham, said: “It was in fact inspired by hearing quite horrific stories by some of our female customers, who ended up in quite precarious, and entirely preventable situations with young children and elderly in horrible weather at the side of motorways. We really thought we would be able to help.”

She said: “We have a large workshop and we will have different stations teaching people how to change a wheel, check the tyre tread, the water and coolant, and covering engine warning lights.”

The workshop will also include talks from the RAC and North Yorkshire Police focusing on issues such as road safety, drink-driving and driving at night.

“We have had such a good response,” said Sarah, although she admitted it had also created a bit of a stir.

“There were a lot of comments from men, saying they would like to be able to go along as well. It is about empowering women, not upsetting anyone.”

However, she said they were considering another one later in the year, for men and women.

The workshop runs from 7pm to 9pm on Friday, February 21, and is free. However, Sarah and Graham are raising money for Oscar’s Peadiatric Brain Tumour Charity: https://www.oscarspbtc.org/ which was set up by their friends in memory of their son, Dunnington schoolboy Oscar Hughes.