But Belper police have defended their decision to draft in the life-size cut-out of an officer on Far Laund saying when people see it from a distance they slow down.

At present the road is 30mph as drivers approach from the town centre, but it becomes 40mph near the pedestrian crossing.

The cardboard officer was tied to a lampost for a few hours on Monday and police have confirmed it is likely to be used again.

But nearby resident Wendi Walker said: "This is a ridiculous idea, one look and drivers would know it was a cut-out so next time would not take a blind bit of notice of it.

"I have seen plenty of speeding motorists and therefore I make a point of sticking to the speed limit.

"I would love to see a speed camera put up, especially as many drivers once they reach the top of the hill on Chesterfield Road put their foot down to 40-plus even though it's a 30 with a school close by.

"I think the whole of Far Laund up to Jackson's Lane should be a 30 limit."

James Gale, of Far Laund, said: "We have complained every year about the speeding traffic on Far Laund. Why was it changed in the first place from 30mph to a 40mph?

"There is a school only 30 seconds away from this road. There has been three accidents in the last six years and that's just the Heage end of the road.

"How long must we wait or are they just waiting for somebody to get killed?"

Belper Police Inspector Graham Lamin said the cardboard cop would be of most use at school closing times. He said the safer neighbourhood team was obtaining feedback from people on where there were the most speeding problems.

" We can't address all the speeding issues, as much as we would like to. It would take ten times the officers I have got," he said.

The initiative comes as cardboard nurses are being installed at hospitals in Amber Valley in a bid to beat infections.

To see a BBC video on cardboard police officers click here.