Now, where did you say you left the car? The £28m backlog of perfectly driveable vehicles waiting to be SCRAPPED

Sitting nose to tail on a disused airstrip, these cars form a tiny part of the massive backlog of vehicles destined for the scrap heap.

The number standing idly on the runway has swelled to around 14,000 as mechanics struggle to cope with the popularity of the Government's scrappage scheme, which ended last week.

The former airfield in Thurleigh, Bedfordshire, is one of a number of 'holding areas' packed with vehicles sold through Lord Mandelson's £400million incentive scheme.

Backlog: Thousands of cars, many of them still roadworthy, are stored at Thurleigh airfield as mechanics struggle to cope with demand for the Government's scrappage scheme

Under the policy, manufacturers matched the £1,000 per car put up by the Treasury - giving customers a £2,000 saving on a new vehicle.

The £28million haul will eventually be sent to a licensed scrappage yard where the cars' oil and petrol will be removed and parts recycled before the shells are crushed.

Almost all of the 400,000 vehicles sold through the scheme are still roadworthy and many could be driven for another five years, according to experts.

However, the vast collection --which includes a fine range of BMWs, Volvos and Peugeots - must be destroyed under the scheme's rules.

Stalled: The vast array of cars, including BMWs and Peugeots, will eventually be stripped and crushed