Frazer Hines, who played Joe Sugden in Emmerdale, has had a speeding fine reduced as claims that he was not driving the car have been upheld.

Hines claimed that backstage staff at his production of Aladdin in Hull were responsible for driving his £23,000 Mercedes over the speeding limit on New Year's Day last year.

The car with it's personalised number plate was clocked doing 47mph in a 40mph zone and Hines was slapped with a £300 fine and three points were docked from his licence after he failed to respond with details of the driver of the vehicle.

The actor has since revealed that he did ask who had been driving the car, but no-one would own up to the deed and in fact when Hull magistrates found him guilty he was not even in the country.

Hines told Judge Trevor Barber: "The sentence was harsh for something I never did. I have got three points on my licence and it was not me at the wheel.

"I received the paperwork from Hull police but I did not know who the driver was. I asked Hull Theatre staff who took my car that day but no-one would admit it."

"The magistrates who sit with me, and know a lot more about things like this than I do, tell me there is not a lot I can do about the points, I'm afraid," Judge Barber told the actor. "The fine was originally £300 and I will reduce that to £60 and the court costs were originally £100. I will cut that to £50. The best thing I can do is save you some money."