Fake car ad used to drive home road safety message

Thousands of car buyers who responded to an advertisement for a cut-price car got more than they bargained for when the voicemail on the number they were asked to ring turned out to be a road safety message.

Callers were stunned to hear the supposed seller of the car asking prospective buyers to make him an offer and take the car away from him as he had killed a six-year-old girl with it and could not stand looking at it anymore.

The message, recorded by an actor, ended with the information that it was part of a road safety campaign by Mayo County Council.