Scarecrow diverts traffic

FORGET high-tech gatsos, the latest weapon in the fight against speeding motorists is a scarecrow called Nancy.

Villagers say the figure, dressed as a police officer holding a speed gun, has caused a big fall in the number of motorists speeding through a rural County Durham village.

Nancy, originally created for a village carnival, stands in the garden of Stella Anderson’s home near Barnard Castle in leafy Middleton-in-Teesdale.

Such has been the effect that someone took exception to the law-enforcing scarecrow and decapitated her.

But within days the straw-stuffed copper had her head back on and resumed duties.

She has become the talk of the village with her deterrence effect on speeding motorists and scarecrow Nancy has even attracted plaudits from Durham County Council leader Ken Manton, whose official driver pulled over for a better look as they passed one day.

Mr Manton said: “It looks so realistic and I think it is an excellent example of a scarecrow that may not frighten the birds from the crops but the motorists from speeding.”

Mrs Anderson, who lives on Laneside, which has a 30mph limit, told how she christened the scarecrow Nancy after a friend who had been caught speeding.

She said: “It is just a little bit of fun really but she certainly seems to have slowed down the speeders on this road.”

Durham Police, which only operates mobile speed cameras and does not have any fixed cameras, accepted the funny side of the new recruit but warned Mrs Anderson she could be in trouble with the law if PC Nancy caused an accident.

A force spokeswoman said: “While the person responsible for erecting the scarecrow may have done so with the best of intentions to reduce speed, they could find themselves in trouble with the law if it contributes to a road accident.”