I'm a car expert and this clever 'pump and flick' hack will open your frozen car doors and hoods in an instant

Motorists are in awe of a 'pump and flick' trick to free frozen car doors and bonnets.

American car expert @RoadsideGenius used TikTok to guide his followers through the method step by step, so that freezing temperatures don't get in the way of their commute.

The simple trick will be music to the ears of many Brits who have spent the past few days battling frozen vehicles before heading to work or school.

Yesterday, Britain shook on the coldest January night in five years and the coldest so far this winter.

Temperatures fell well below zero as snowstorms hit some areas in Britain.

Dalwhinnie in the Highlands endured -14C (6.8F), while Edinburgh and Newcastle experienced sub-zero temperatures of -7C (19F) and -6C (21F) respectively.

The big frost made it the coldest night so far this winter, better than the minimum temperature of -12.5 degrees Celsius recorded at Altnaharra in Sutherland on December 3.

The Met Office has also issued an amber weather warning in north-west Scotland for 3pm today and 6pm tomorrow.

The content creator shared the handy winter tip, saying: 'I'm going to show you guys a trick you can do to make your hood pop up.'

He then pulled out an inflatable lockout bag and carefully placed it into the small opening on the hood of his freezing car.

The TikToker took his time and steadily inflated the bag until the hood made a distinct “pop” sound.

He explained, “Now we can go in and find some kind of lock! Surely there's one they all have.'

The cold trick can also be used on car doors that are frozen shut.

Viewers responded to the comments and expressed their gratitude, with one writing: “You taught me something lol.”

According to the content creator, gently place the lockout bag into a gap between the hood or door of your car and gently inflate the device until you hear a clear “pop” sound

RoadSideGenius joked, “Knowledge is power.”

Not everyone was happy with the trick, however, as one follower – who didn't have a lockout bag – asked for alternatives.

A woman asked, “Okay, I don't have one [inflatable lockout bag] and it's -40. Do you have anything else?'

The content creator jokingly responded, “Break the window.”

However, a frozen car door or hood is not the only challenge for drivers on a cold morning drive.

Frozen car windows can be a real challenge when you're in a hurry to get out of the house in freezing weather.

There are numerous ways you can melt the ice from your windscreen, but drivers should be wary as you could be fined £80.

In an attempt to get rid of the ice, many drivers may increase the temperature of their car to melt it – but this would be a big mistake.

Running the engine while a car is stationary is also known as 'idling' and is contrary to rule 123 of the Highway Code.

The rule states: 'You must not leave a parked vehicle unattended with the engine running, or leave the engine of a vehicle running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary on a public highway.'

Users took to the comments to thank the content creator for the tip, while others were frustrated that the method required an inflatable lockout bag

It also stipulates that the engine must be turned off if the vehicle has been driven for more than a few minutes to reduce emissions.

But it is not against the rules to leave the engine running in stationary traffic or when diagnosing vehicle malfunctions.

If you are idling to get rid of your ice you are breaking the law, specifically section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1998, and could therefore be fined £80.

Failure to pay the fine within 14 days could also result in a £40 fine on top of the existing £80 fine.