A NOTORIOUS speed camera in Southampton has suffered its second vandalism attack in two months.

The equipment on the city-bound carriageway of Mountbatten Way was targeted overnight on Wednesday.

It was left with a smashed lens and scorch marks on the main camera head.

Two fixed cameras were installed in each direction along the 50mph three-lane carriageway in April last year but not actually switched on until September.

Just six weeks later the equipment was put out of action in an attack and repairs cost thousands of pounds.

The cameras caused outrage among motorists who felt they should not have been put up while a 30mph limit was in force on nearby two-and-a-half-year road works.

It was placed beyond the roadworks, which were completed last August.

Police believe the latest attack, which happened at 1.20am yesterday, was caused by a pedestrian walking towards the city centre.

They have now launched an investigation and they said forensic evidence was recovered at the scene.

The camera is expected to be out of action for several days.

A Hampshire police spokesman said: "We know speed contributes to accidents and injuries to hundreds of people on our roads every year, and the cameras are an important part of a strategy to reduce those accidents and save lives.

"The vandalism shows a total disrespect for those who have been killed or seriously injured and their relatives.

"If this person's actions have made it harder for us to encourage better driver behaviour, then that person has put other people's lives at risk - which is particularly relevant given the current treacherous weather and road conditions.

"The camera will be repaired over the next few days and in the meantime the road will be protected by mobile enforcement."

Anyone with information should call Shirley police station on 0845 045 4545 or the anonymous Crimestop-pers line on 0800 555 111.

The attack was revealed on the same day as the Daily Echo told how former traffic cop Jim Brown, 72, from Sholing, was demanding to know why safety bosses installed a camera in Bitterne Road West which caught him exceeding the 30mph limit.

We also revealed how red-faced speed camera chiefs were forced to refund 39 speeding tickets issued by a mobile camera after a new 30mph speed limit had not been properly displayed to motorists.