BMW have begun a massive recall on the Mini range following the discovery of a fault in the electric water pumps that could cause a fire.

235,000 vehicles have been recalled including nearly 30,000 in the UK. Affected models include the Cooper S and John Cooper Works models built between 2006 and 2011.

In a statement, BMW, who manufacture 200,000 Mini’s a year in Oxford, said, "The turbocharged engine of the Cooper S and John Cooper Works engines is equipped with an additional water pump that draws residual heat out of the turbocharger after the engine has been switched off, to prevent carbon build-up of the oil in the bearing.

"Under high operating temperatures an electro-migration can occur at the circuit board installed in the additional water pump. The electro-migration is caused by plastic additives in conjunction with high temperatures and can lead to a failure of the additional water pump. This can lead to a failure of the additional water pump or smouldering and in extremely rare cases the possibility of a fire cannot be excluded.

"The failure was detected due to Mini internal quality control. There have been no accidents or injuries related to this issue. Globally there have been four cases of fires confirmed as a result of the issue, one of which is in the UK.

"In the UK 29 868 cars will be recalled. Customers will receive a letter over the next few weeks inviting them to have the additional water pump replaced at their Mini dealership. The replacement takes about an hour and is free of charge for the customer."