Speeding motorists in Truro were given an unusual opportunity to escape a fine and instead realise the consequences of their actions.

Drivers caught breaking the speed limit were shown hard-hitting videos during a joint initiative to educate motorists rather than punish them.

Police spent the morning outside Truro Rugby Club, which is in the middle of a 20-mile-per hour zone, and monitored the speed of traffic with a laser speed gun.

Motorists who were caught breaking the speed limit were given the choice of a £60 fine and three points on their licence or the chance to spend 15 minutes watching the videos and discussing why they were speeding.

During the first two hours, six people were stopped.

MPC Mark Leath, a police road casualty reduction officer, said that the aim of the morning was to educate drivers, although they would not rule out prosecuting a motorist if their speed was excessive.

He said: "People have been very supportive. They're pleased at not getting a £60 fine and three points on their licence, but it's also a gentle reminder to them about speed and speed limits. They have taken it quite well."

MPC Leath said that the videos dealt with what was appropriate speed and what was excessive, as well as the consequences of being distracted at the wheel.

"That's the message that we're trying to get across - the speed limits are not a target speed, but they are a maximum speed to travel, if it's appropriate," he added.

The area around the rugby club was chosen for Operation Slowdown - a joint initiative between Cornwall county council, the Safety Camera Partnership and police - due to its close proximity to residential estates and three schools.

Carol Wright, senior road safety project co-ordinator, said: "We just want to really push across that speeding is anti-social. Last year in Cornwall there were 50 fatal collisions. We need to reduce that."

Among the startling facts given to motorists included the statistic that nine out of ten pedestrians would survive being hit at 20 miles per hour, but just one in ten people would survive being hit at 40 miles per hour.