COMMUNITY Speedwatch volunteers found themselves facing a "bizarre incident" during their activities today.

The team, which returned to the roadside in recent weeks, has received its fair share of criticism and support from motorists in the past - co-ordinator Cllr Arnold Woolley has said.

But on Monday morning, whilst carrying out checks on the A549, at the Colliers Lane junction near the top of Pren Hill, they found an extra obstacle in their way.

Cllr Woolley said: "A man came sauntering up, produced a pink umbrella and just stood there in front of us. "He was obviously attempting to obstruct our activities.

"But we carried on our work and we did catch ten speeders - the fastest of which was going 56 miles per hour (on a 30 mile per hour road).

"We told the police and they came up and spoke to him.

"But we are not police - so it's not a case of him hindering or obstructing police, so as long as he wasn't threatening us or anything like that he could do what he was doing. "When they spoke to him his attitude was 'well, I'm just standing here with my umbrella and I am entitled to do that.'

"He stayed for 45 minutes of the time we were there.

"The question is, what was his purpose?

"Does he want a free-for-all on the roads?

"Does he want everyone travelling 56 in a 30 zone? What's his case?

"When we left, he folded his umbrella and walked away.

"It was a bizarre incident."