It was dark, minus zero and traffic whizzed by as Sophie Clayton pleaded with an operator on the phone (Picture: Sophie Clayton/Getty Images)

A woman has claimed she was left ‘stranded’ at the side of a motorway in freezing conditions – after roadside assistance refused to help.

Sophie Clayton, 26, had been driving down the M60 for work at 4.45am on January 19.

She was forced to call RAC, who she has a membership with, as she pulled over on the side of the road with a flat tyre.

It was dark, minus zero and traffic whizzed by as she spoke to an operator on the phone.

Sophie, who works at Trafford Park, told Metro.co.uk: ‘I felt extremely vulnerable and unsafe.

‘I explained to the operator that I didn’t know if it was a pot hole or debris in the road that caused the flat tyre, immediately the operator replied that they will not be attending as they don’t repair or help with tyres.

‘The operator would definitely of been able to sense I was scared but continued to repeat herself and could only advise me to call my insurance or a private tow company as there was nothing else she could do to assist.’

Sophie says she then called the police for help as RAC would not come to her aid.

The damage caused to Sophie’s tyre (Picture: Sophie Clayton)

She is now considering different employment, as she is nervous about her daily drive from Blackburn to Trafford Park for work.

The 26-year-old says her confidence driving has been ‘severely knocked’.

An RAC spokesperson told Metro.co.uk: ‘As Sophie was on a live lane of a motorway, our call centre agent should have repeated the safety advice all members hear when they call our breakdown phone line – to call 999.

‘We’re extremely sorry this didn’t happen and have already addressed this with the team member.

‘While we deal with thousands of tyre-related breakdowns every week, including punctures from potholes, Sophie told us she’d hit debris in the road which is considered a road traffic collision, not a breakdown.

‘We’re apologising to Sophie for our call agent’s error and will be agreeing a gesture of goodwill with her.’

Sophie, although understanding of the efforts made, has still shared her story to raise awareness of the ‘horrific’ treatment she felt she was met with.

Waiting for assistance at the side of the M60 and being told help wasn’t coming still weighs on her mind.

The 26-year-old added: ‘I am not fully satisfied with comments made from RAC as it does not give me hope in the future that they will support their paying customers in the future.’

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It was dark, minus zero and traffic whizzed by as Sophie Clayton pleaded with an operator on the phone.