Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

On an already hazardous night due to wintry conditions, the safety camera on Whelley was felled at some point on the evening of Tuesday January 16.

The picture from a Wigan Today reader shows that the upper half of the yellow pole landed on the highway.

This is the fourth such attack in recent weeks, other devices having been dramatically disabled on Wallgate, Warrington Road and Spring Road in Kitt Green.

The felled speed camera collapsed onto the road, creating a further traffic hazard in already dangerous weather conditions

D-day looms for controversial 1,000-home scheme in Wigan borough

Last week police revealed that they had arrested a 67-year-old man on suspicion of criminal damage after two figures were seen cutting down the Warrington Road camera using an angle grinder.

The attack on Spring Road was caught on CCTV.

The latest incident prompted an angry response from locals.

One resident, who did not want to be identified, said: “Whoever is doing this probably thinks they are doing motorists a favour. In fact I’ve seen some idiots of social media, who clearly have a problem with authority and measures that are meant to protect other people’s lives, championing the saboteurs as some kind of Robin Hood figures.

"I’m sure people who have lost loved ones to speeding motorists don’t see it that way. Those cameras are there for a reason.”

And another said: “The fact that the camera pole fell into the road takes these acts of vandalism to a new level. Driving conditions have been hard enough these last couple of days without large pieces of street furniture toppling into the highway on the brow of a hill.

"What if someone were to swerve onto the wrong side of the road to avoid it? It could cause a head-on crash.”

Last autumn it was announced that Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) had signed a contract with Jenoptik UK to upgrade many cameras across the region, including several sites in Wigan.

The state-of-the-art technology can catch motorists speeding in both directions at the same time without the need for road markings and there is no flash either.

The camera in Whelley was only installed a few weeks ago, its predecessor having been out of action for months due to either an accident or another act of criminal damage.

Fresh hunt for Wigan saboteur after another speed camera felled

Greater Manchester Police have been contacted for a comment.

Anyone with information about any of the incidents is asked to ring police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.