A HI-TECH police speed trailer which was being piloted in East Lancashire has been put off the road -- after somebody threw a brick at it.

Police were hoping the equipment would deter drivers from speeding by making them aware of how fast they were travelling.

The trailer has a large LED screen which flashes up the speed on a screen and is one of two which began operating in East Lancashire last month.

The trailers do not enforce speeding limits and drivers would not be automatically prosecuted.

But the trials have been put on hold after damage was caused to the plastic screen during the Bank Holiday Weekend.

The expensive equipment was parked on Billinge End Road, Blackburn, when a brick was hurled at it. A replacement screen is being shipped in from America.

Sergeant Stuart Isherwood, of the Road Policing Unit, based in Accrington, said: "Someone might have thought this was an enforcement device and had a go at it and now it is out of action.

"We know that many people are not in favour of speed enforcement. Now we will have to wait until the equipment is fixed before we can continue with the trial."

Eastern Division are using two trailers as part of the Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety, which aims to slash the number of accidents.