Motorists should get rid of their old pound coins before they are no longer accepted, a senior councillor has said.

From Monday all car parking machines operated by Wrexham County Borough Council will only take the new, 12-sided pound coin – meaning the old ones won’t work in them.

So motorists are being advised by the council to get rid of the old coins as soon as possible – either by spending them or exchanging them at the bank for new coins.

Cllr David A. Bithell, lead member for environment and transport, said: “We know if people find a few pound coins down the back of the sofa or in a coat pocket, the first instinct is to keep them aside so they can conveniently pay for things like car parking.

“But from October 16, our car parking machines won’t be able to take them either – so if parking at any of our car parks and you want to pay by cash, make sure you’re using the new coins.”

Alternatively, anyone parking at a Wrexham Council car park can also use their debit or credit card or the new JustPark app, which allows for remote payment by phone or tablet.

Setting up an account for the app allows users to pay more to extend their stay without having to rush back to the car park if they think they might be running late.

For more information on the app, visit www.justpark.com.