“Thanks to the feathered guardian angel with carefully spread wings, the driver has been spared.”

As police statements go, it’s a somewhat unusual one, but what better way to summarise the outstanding luck enjoyed by the jammy driver above?

They – and their Renault Twingo – were snapped by a speed camera travelling 54kph in a 30kph zone (33mph in an 18mph zone, basically) but their blushes and their wallet have been saved by a very conveniently placed pigeon.

“The Holy Ghost may have thought something of it when he placed his symbol in an exposed spot on May 21st,” the police in Viersen, Germany have said.

“We have understood the sign and leave the racer in peace this time. However, we hope that the protected racer understands this ‘hint from above’ and drives appropriately in the future.”

And thus, a 105 euro fine was saved. Perhaps they’re just impressed a 60bhp mk1 Twingo can be driven quickly enough to flout any traffic laws.

“Actually, the pigeon would have earned a fine, because she was too fast,” Viersen’s very chirpy police force continues. “But since we do not know where she has to punctually be at Pentecost, we allow grace to prevail here too.

“Neither the driver nor the pigeon are warned.”