A report sent in by a reader has revealed that two traffic patrol
officers from North Berwick were involved in an unusual incident whilst
checking for speeding motorists on the A1 road between Oldhamstocks and
Grantshouse, in Northumberland. The policeman were using a hand-held
radar device to trap unwary motorists on the Edinburgh to London trunk
road. One of the unnamed officers used the device to check the progress
of an approaching vehicle, and was surprised to find that his target had
registered a speed in excess of 300 miles per hour. The machine then
seized up and could not be re-set by the bemused PC. The radar had in
fact latched on to a NATO Tornado aircraft in the North Sea, which was
taking part in a simulated low-flying exercise. Following a complaint
by the police to the RAF, it was revealed that the officers had had a
lucky escape, the tactical computer on board the aircraft had not only
detected and jammed the "hostile" radar equipment, but had automatically
armed a Sidewinder air-to-ground missile ready to neutralise the
perceived threat. Luckily, the Dutch pilot was alerted to the missile
status and was able to override the automatic protection system before
the missile launched. The Police have so far declined to comment,
although it is understood that officers will be advised to point their
radar guns inland in future.
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