Farmer installs fake speed camera to deter drivers

A man who said he "understands the pain of losing a child" has constructed a fake camera to deter speeding drivers on his road.

Guy Hayward lives at Bridge Farm on the B1078 on the outskirts of Wickham Market, Suffolk.

After noticing speeding drivers and worrying about children using a play barn near his farm, he constructed the dummy speed camera.

Two of Mr Hayward's children died in different circumstances and he said he did not want other parents to know that pain.

"Children every day get out of their cars on this road and they could be distracted and run out into this road," he explained.

"The pain of losing a child is bad enough, I'm sure the pain of hitting a child is something somebody would have to live with for the rest of their life."

Mr Hayward's speed camera was constructed out of scrap on his farm and put up last Friday.

"It's had an immediate impact," he continued.

"It's worked much better than any of these other devices you see around and I have to say it's all about safety.

"I have no idea how long it will be up for but it is working so far."

The road has already been equipped with speed indicator devices (SIDs) that flash at drivers when they are driving over the limit of 30mph (48km/h).

"I'm all for promoting these being put up everywhere because they do so much of a better job than SIDs," Mr Hayward added.

Mr Hayward said Suffolk Police had been "very supportive".

While the force did not have an official statement on this when approached by the BBC, there is guidance around fake speed cameras.

It is not a criminal offence to do so but those who do could find themselves at risk of some civil litigation.

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