HIGH-SPEED unmarked police cars are to be deployed on the M65 in a bid to curb a craze of young drivers filming themselves at speeds over 150mph.

The crackdown comes as officers launched an investigation into shocking new footage of a car travelling at 154mph on the motorway at Blackburn that has been posted on internet video sharing website YouTube.

Earlier this week Nathan Campbell, 18, of Fenwick Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving after filming himself travelling at 140mph on the M65.

And on YouTube there are scores of videos which have been uploaded by young drivers showing their speedometers reaching upwards of 120mph.

Sergeant Mick Young, of Accrington-based road policing unit, said the force was to use three high-powered unmarked cars in a bid to deter any more copy-cat stunts.

Edmund King, head of campaigning motoring group The RAC Foundation, said the craze needed to be stamped out.

Mr King, who had described Campbell's antics as "probably the most appalling and dangerous driving that I has ever been witnessed", said he did not know whether the craze was new or whether it was just because people upload it onto the internet that it was coming to light.

He said: "It shows that we need to do more to get the message across that this is the most likely way they die - on the road and disregarding the rules of the road."

Andrew Howard, head of road safety for the AA, said it was a reflection of the "showing off" attitude of many young drivers.

He said: "We not only have to tackle the people doing these things but also the people they believe they are impressing by doing it."

Sgt Young said such "irresponsible and dangerous" driving was putting other drivers at risk and was "verging on the suicidal".

He said: "We will be putting on extra patrols from the motorway department to discourage other people from doing this.

"People will never know when these unmarked patrols are out, and offenders will be rigorously pursued and prosecuted."

The new video on Youtube shows the speedometer of the car recording speeds as high as 154mph.

Titled Astra Turbo Coupe doing silly speed', a young man can be heard saying "oh yeah, what a beautiful ride it really is" as the car speeds along the road at night.

Campbell, who had also posted footage of his speeding on YouTube, faces up to two years in prison at crown court.

Magistrates were told that he had passed cars on the hard shoulder as he reached speeds of up to 140mph.

Campbell, who had had just eight driving lessons before passing his driving test, rested the phone on the steering wheel and filmed the speedometer to record the speeds he had reached, the court was told.

He was caught out after complaints were made to police about the footage on the internet.

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans has said the cases highlighted the need for the Lancashire Telegraph's Wasted Lives campaign which aims to cut the carnage caused by young drivers through increased education and tougher legislation.