British farmer deters speeders with dummy 'scare-cop'

July 17 (UPI) -- A British farmer is inspiring drivers to slow down on a road through her village by dressing up a scarecrow to look like a traffic police officer.

Edie Pope, 71, said the "scare-cop," which has a mannequin's head and is dressed in clothing resembling a police officer's uniform, was her unique solution to the problem of reckless driving in the area.

The "scare-cop" is outfitted with an object positioned to resemble a speed radar.

Pope said she dressed up the dummy officer, which started out as a scarecrow she created for a festival contest, when a recent speed limit change led to two crashes in a short period of time.