Chinese man loses licence after building his own tank

After being spotted by police, perhaps Mr Huang should have worked harder on the camouflage

A Chinese man has been reprimanded by the police and had his driving licence revoked after he turned a disused truck into a tank, it's reported.

According to CCTV News, a man surnamed Huang in the city of Laibin, southern Guangxi, spent two months renovating an old vehicle, modifying its shape and installing a gun turret and novelty radar dish, in the hopes that his mechanical skills would propel him to internet fame.

CCTV says that Mr Huang shared his camouflage-painted handiwork with friends on social media, but also gained the attention of the authorities. The TV says that police subsequently intercepted his car on 22 January when he attempted to take the vehicle on the road.

Reports today say that he has been fined 1,750 yuan ($278; £195) and has had his driving licence revoked.

The police also brought Mr Huang to the police station to carry out a "safety education" assessment and said that the vehicle, which "violated Road Traffic Safety Law and was a threat to him and others", has been confiscated and "will be destroyed".

The incident has bemused social media users, with one saying Mr Huang's vehicle must have given "police a fright".

"It doesn't take much common sense to know that the streets are not open for tanks," one says.

Another says critically that there are "too many online celebrities" as it is.

It took Mr Huang two months to make his own "tank"

Reporting by Kerry Allen

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