THE brains behind Lepton's famous hoax speed camera have been unnmasked.

And teenage brothers Freddie and George Guest and schoolfriend Andrew Herrick have vowed to continue their work - even though their fake has been cut down and removed.

As revealed in the Examiner, the teenagers erected a cardboard fake camera in a bid to put the brakes on the speeders racing through Lepton.

Strips of tape were also put across Gawthorpe Green Lane - where the box is - giving the impression to drivers of a real speed camera at the spot.

They replaced that device with a more professional wooden one, fitted with a hoax lens, but that was chopped down last night.

Now the youngsters have plans for a Mark 3 version, and pledged it would be better than ever.

George, 14, 13-year-old Freddie and Andrew, also 13, all live in the area.

George said: "It started off as a joke. But we will continue with a bigger and better camera."

The brothers' father, Denton Guest, said: "It started as a practical joke, but has developed and been absolutely incredible in slowing drivers down.

"They decided to build a better, improved version on Sunday - and the results were just as impressive.

"Motorists use the road as a `rat run'. It is a dangerous road. It is incredible a simple yellow box could be so effective."

He said of the removal of the Mark 2 camera: "I don't know if it was by the police, the local landowner or somebody who doesn't like speed cameras."

Philip Gwynne, of the West Yorkshire Casualty Reduction Partnership - which puts up proper speed cameras, using cash from the county's five major councils - said the device seemed to work very well.

He added: "I went down there and just about every driver came down very carefully and slowly."