A driver fitted his car with blue lights and a siren in a bid to turn his vehicle into a fake ambulance.

Police were called by Tyne Tunnel staff concerned at the speed of the vehicle as it travelled through the rush hour traffic on September 9.

Officers made inquiries with the North East Ambulance Service who said they had no record of one of their vehicles being in the area at the time.

An investigation was launch and the driver was identified as Shaun Scandle, 31.

Officers visited Scandle and found his white Renault Megane had been covered in livery to make it look like a rapid response vehicle.

They also discovered he ran a business called Hadrian Medical Services offering first aid at events across the North East for which he used the vehicle.

He had been providing first aid for the Tour of Britain cycle race and had been travelling to Blyth to attend a medical incident he had been called to when he was spotted in September.

Scandle, of Priestpopple, Hexham, appeared before magistrates in North Tyneside where he was handed a fine of more than £1,000 and given nine points on his licence when he pleaded guilty to careless driving.

The judge sitting on the case also approved an application by Northumbria Police to destroy the equipment he used to create his fake ambulance.

After the case assistant sergeant Alan Keenleyside, of the Operations Department, with Northumbria Police said: "This may seem like a bizarre story but the reality is Mr Scandle was putting lives at risk through his behaviour on the road.

"Those working in the emergency services receive specialist training to drive our response vehicles and the public should not try and take that responsibility into their own hands.

"Mr Scandle is lucky that he did not receive a driving ban but hopefully he will think twice about his behaviour on the roads following his sentence at court."