A bird box resembling a speed camera has forced speeding motorists to slow down on Sunderland Road, near Houghton-le-Spring in Durham. Bill Angus, a retired police officer, said he saw the difference after putting the yellow box on to a pole at the front of his property last week

Although the speed limit along the road was 30mph, motorists drove at 70mph as there were no speed cameras, the 64-year-old said.

Mr Angus said: "If people want to think it is a speed camera and if it slows them down, then that's fantastic, but for all intents and purposes it is a bird box.

He added: "Everyone round here thinks it's brilliant."

The retired police officer said that he had been writing to the authorities since 2000 about the speeding problem, but no action has been taken.

He continued: "I would like the council to put a speed camera in on this road. If this brings attention to the problem then I'm happy."

Mr Angus explained that he thought of putting the bird box during the recent cold weather and added he opted for florescent yellow as he read on the internet that bright colours attract various birds.

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