The sleepy Northamptonshire Police support worker was snapped dozing off in his van, parked close to the speed camera in Billing Road, on the edge of Cogenhoe and near the Billing Mill pub.

He now faces an investigation and has been taken off duties involving members of the public.

Motorist Mark Draycott, 40, of Northampton, who took the picture, said the police support worker had parked in a "dangerous" spot.

He said he was parked half on the verge and half on the road, causing drivers to queue behind him and then indicate before edging past the vehicle.

He said: "I was just annoyed. The police are quick to jump on everybody else about stuff.

"It's like it's a case of 'Do as I say not as I do', so I thought it was only fair that I took the picture."

He added: "You could see he had nodded off. His mouth had dropped open.

"I took the picture and motorists hooted in support, but he slept on, oblivious. It was a disgrace."

A nearby sign was emblazoned with "reducing road casualties in Northamptonshire".

The picture was first featured in The Sun newspaper on Saturday, prompting a number of complaints about the police worker's behaviour.

A spokesman for Northamptonshire Police said: "The national newspaper article was brought to our attention by people who had read it.

"The member of police staff in the picture has been removed from public-facing duties while the matter is investigated."