A MOTORIST who claims he has been unfairly caught speeding because a 30mph sign was hidden by a tree has had his case backed by a Bolton expert motorist group.

Leonard Short, aged 62, from Breightmet, said he is angry he will be fined and have penalty points added to his licence despite being unable to see where the limit changed.

He said he will be meeting his solicitor to see if there is anyway he can appeal against the decision.

Mr Short, of Breightmet Drive, was travelling along Chorley New Road, in the direction of Bolton, when he saw the flash from the speed camera near the Lion of Vienna pub.

He received a letter this week saying he had been driving at 44mph in a 30mph zone. Mr Short, who has been caught speeding once before, said he did not realise the limit had changed from 40mph to 30mph and slowed down.

He said: "I drove past again and noticed that the sign near Ladybridge Lane was hidden by a tree.

"My argument is, how can people stick to a 30mph limit if there are no visible signs indicating that is the limit on that particular stretch?"

He added: "I consider myself to be a careful driver, and I think this is wrong. I'm still angry about it."

Mr Short's opinions have been backed by Bolton Advanced Motorists, an organisation which aims to improve driving and save lives on our roads.

Pet hates

Chairman Roy Sammons said: "Vegetation obscuring road signs is one of my pet grievances.

"How can motorists be expected to react to signs if they can not be seen in good time? It is bad planning and poor management in my book," he added.

Mr Sammons is now asking all members of the Bolton Advanced Motorists to send in lists detailing where road signs are obscured by trees.

He will then pass on the locations to the Highways Department at the council.

A town hall spokesman said they would investigate any reports of hidden signs and if they were on council property would prune them immediately, unless there was a preservation order on them.

He added: "If the trees are on private property we will investigate and issue an enforcement notice to get the owner to prune them.

"This is the case on Chorley New Road, which has been reported to us and which we are addressing."