A speeding hearse snapped by a mobile police camera has sparked a mystery for one funeral firm boss.

It was caught doing 40mph in a 30mph zone but the firm claims there is no way it could have been there.

Funeral company boss John Duckworth is adamant the black Chrysler Voyager was miles away collecting a baby's body from Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary.

Ralph Harrap, another funeral director at Mr Duckworth's firm, was driving the hearse at the time of the speeding offence on Chester Road, Sunderland.

But after making inquiries, Mr Duckworth, 58, refused to tell police who was driving - instead questioning whether officers had made an error with the date of June 2.

Mr Duckworth appeared before magistrates at Bedlington, Northumberland, to deny a charge of failing to supply information to police as keeper of the vehicle.

He said the vehicle was only used to transport bodies relating to coroner's court cases.

And he claimed that on that day, the hearse was sent to the Royal Victoria Infirmary to pick up the body of a baby.

When it arrived, the body was still undergoing tests, but he claimed documentation showed the Voyager would have left the hospital shortly after 10am.

The police camera clocked the vehicle speeding at 10.12am in Sunderland. Mr Duckworth insisted that it would have been impossible to reach Chester Road in that time.

But the bench found the case proved. Duckworth was given an absolute discharge but three points were added to his licence and he was ordered to pay £200 costs.

Mr Duckworth maintained he could not provide the information because the Voyager was not on Chester Road on the day and at the time stated.