A UK cabbie has broken the previous speed record for a petrol-driven reciprocating-engined vehicle by clocking up an impressive 420mph in a 30mph zone in Newport, Gwent.

Back in 2004, sales manager Peter O’Flynn was captured by a speed camera in Cheshire doing 406mph in a humble Peugot - a record now shattered by Tom Matthews' 12-year-old Vauxhall Cavalier.

Matthews' magnificent achievement came as he was driving a woman home at 2.20am, The Sun reports. He later received confirmation of the new record in the form of a notice awarding him the appropriate prize of a 60 quid fine and three penalty points.

Modest Matthews, however, declined the honour, saying: "I drive an old Cavalier - not a jumbo jet. According to this, I've broken the land speed record."

He continued: "There has been a printing error. If they insist I was going that fast I should be a Grand Prix driver - I'm wasted in taxis."

Mid and South Wales Safety Camera Partnership blamed "an employee processing error" for the cock-up, and duly apologised. ®