Police have a new weapon in the fight against speeding motorits.

Dubbed “The Long Ranger”, police now have a huge speed camera capable of filming people up to a thousand metres away.

The new speed gun will launch as part of a pilot project called Operation Indemnis, and will be deployed to catch motoring offences such as speeding and tailgating.

Technology up to now has been used to detect how fast drivers are going, but the new camera produces video footage as well as photos clear enough to see who is behind the wheel.

Martin Surl, police and crime commissioner for Gloucestershire, where the kit is being tested, said he hoped that the long lens would also help police spot motorists using mobile phones.

Officers will use the long-distance camera and automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) to check on what vehicles are on the roads and how they are being driven as part of the trial.

Police said the main aim was to educate people about how to drive more safely and to prevent accidents that can kill or seriously injure people.

If the pilot proves successful, the large cameras could be rolled out nationwide.