A learner driver from Barnsley who was stopped by police on a busy motorway had only one other occupant supervising her driving- a pet parrot.

 

The unnamed 55-year-old woman's 4x4 car was confiscated by officers after they stopped her on the M62.

 

She was pulled over on suspicion of speeding near junction 22 in West Yorkshire on Sunday morning.

 

Then officers discovered she only had a provisional licence.

 

Provisional licence holders are banned from driving on motorways and are only allowed to drive on other roads when accompanied by a qualified driver.

 

But apart from the driver herself, the only other passenger found by police when they stopped the car at around 8.45am was an African Grey parrot.

 

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said the vehicle had been confiscated and the driver has been reported to court for summons for offences of driving otherwise in accordance with a licence and speeding.

 

West Yorkshire road policing unit tweeted a picture of the parrot along with a warning to learner drivers.

 

Along with the picture, the police tweeted: "Say hello to my little friend. Unfortunately his owner has a provisional licence, and since parrots are not authorised to supervise learner drivers, her vehicle has been seized by us on the M62."

 

Chief Inspector Mark Bownass, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "The rules of the road exist for a very good reason and it is important to remember that, if this lady had been in a crash or incident, she would not have been covered by insurance as she was not licensed for the journey."