Arlene Foster condemns videos of 'lorry-driving children'

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A video appearing to show a child driving a lorry
Image caption,

A second video has emerged on social media appearing to show a child driving a lorry on the M1 motorway

Videos on social media appearing to show children driving lorries are "crazy and reckless", Northern Ireland's first minister has said.

Arlene Foster was responding to a clip of a child apparently driving a lorry towards the M1 motorway on the A4.

Last week, a 37-year-old man was arrested over a video appearing to show a boy driving a lorry on the M1.

He was questioned on suspicion of aiding and abetting driving while disqualified by reason of age.

The man, who was arrested in Cookstown, Country Tyrone, was also questioned on suspicion of cruelty to children and was released on bail pending police inquiries.

'Veering out of control' fear

The latest video appears to show a young girl at the wheel of what looks like the M1 near Dungannon.

It also pans back to behind her to reveal a younger girl, and a man watching to see how she is handling the vehicle.

The person who is filming isn't seen, but those caught on camera are not wearing seatbelts.

At one stage the man leans back, possibly because he knows he's being filmed, and the girl driving looks back at him and laughs.

Mrs Foster said both incidents appeared to have happened in her constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone.

"This is reckless for the people in the HGVs & other road users. A vehicle like this veering out of control into traffic is unthinkable," she tweeted.

Image caption,

The film from last week's incident appears to show a boy at the wheel of a lorry, apparently on the M1 near Dungannon

Mrs Foster urged anyone with information on the latest video "to report to police and 2make our roads safer".

Responding to the most recent video to emerge, a police statement said: "We are aware of footage which has been shared on social media and are making enquiries."