An imitation police car was seized by police this week after cruising around on blues - minus the twos - duping a driver into pulling over.

The black souped-up BMW, fitted with illegal blue lights in the grill and headlights, was stopped after report the blue lights caused a motorist to pull over.

Durham sergeant Barry Evans, said: “It is an offence to fit lights like these to a civilian vehicle, let alone to use them.

“I’d like to remind anyone considering doing this that flashing blue lights indicate an emergency vehicle, and to misuse them could be more dangerous than the driver of this BMW perhaps realised.”

Police would like to hear from anyone who may have seen the car, which has been seen in Darlington, Bishop Auckland and Durham prior to being seized.