WHOOPS - a Google Street View car driver appears to have caught itself on camera speeding through a Worcestershire village.

The car appears to have been going over 30mph on Worcester Road, in Kempsey, near Worcester, triggering the vehicle activated sign alerting drivers they are speeding.

The sign flashes on when it clocks someone driving through the village at 35mph or over.

Google, which sends its cars out all over the country capturing photos for its Street View service, was approached for a comment but did not respond before the newspaper went to press.

The picture, which was taken in July this year, can be seen online by anyone on Street View and Cllr David Harrison, the village's district councillor, says he is amazed Google used the picture.

He said: "The driver must have been going over 30mph to have illuminated the sign.

"What amazes me is, if they realised, why didn't they go back and take another?

"They were going over 35mph in a 30mph zone - and they've taken their own photograph to prove it.

"They have managed to incriminate themselves."

Complaints about speeding drivers travelling through Kempsey from residents and the parish council prompted county councillor Roger Sutton to use his divisional fund to purchase the sign.

Cllr Sutton said: "I am disappointed people exceed the speed limit but it does happen.

"All I can hope is that the vehicle activated signs are making a contribution and slowing people as they come into Kempsey.

"The village is getting busier and there are lots of people walking around and pushing pushchairs so hopefully people are getting the idea not to speed.

"The vehicle activated signs seem to be having the desired effect as I understand from the parish council.

"Safer Roads Partnership do occasionally have their [speed enforcement] vans at the side of the road.

"It's up to the company to decide if a penalty is given to whoever it was driving."

PCSO Martin Butcher, of the Kempsey and Alfrick Safer Neighbourhoods Team, said: "The speed indicator sign was, I believe, acquired by the parish council following complaints from some parishioners that some vehicles were exceeding the 30mph limit through the village.

"West Mercia Safer Roads Partnership were also consulted and Safer Roads staff undertake enforcement patrols in the village.

"West Mercia Police welcomes any initiative that helps to reduce speeding in our towns and villages - speeding contributes to the risk of accidents and increases the likelihood of serious injury or death in the event of an accident."

Google Street View was launched in 2007 and shows panoramas of areas from the road through a series of 'stitched' images taken by the company's cars.

There have been a number of funny and mysterious scenarios caught by the cameras including a girl in Middle Road, St John's, Worcester, pictured lying face down in the street in 2010.

People worried a crime had taken place but it turned out schoolgirl Azura Beebeejaun was playing a joke on a friend, unaware that the Google Street View car had snapped her.