A council blunder has left dozens of Oxfordshire towns and villages with no enforceable speed limit.

But drivers were today being warned by police and council officials not to use the excuse to put lives at risk.

Police have had to turn off roadside cameras and are unable to prosecute speeding drivers because of an error over new road signs across the Vale of White Horse.

Embarrassed council officials are hoping to have the situation rectified by midweek.

The problem arose when council workers installed dozens of 30mph speed limit signs in anticipation of more than 50 new zones. But residents in some areas were so keen to slow drivers they unveiled the new signs ahead of the speed limits being made law.

And because the old signs had already been removed that meant there was no official limit. Areas which will benefit when the new restrictions come into effect include Letcombe Bassett, Sparsholt, Uffington Blewbury, Wantage and Abingdon.

Thames Valley Police has suspended all speed enforcement in the district until the issue is settled.

Oxfordshire County Council's assistant director of transport development, Eddie Luck, pleaded with motorists to drive with caution. He described the problem as "transitional" and admitted putting the signs up in advance had not been a success.

He added: "The problem came about because we were trying too hard to get these speed limits in as short a time as possible.

"Speeding is a major cause of accidents and the implementation of the new speed limits should help us achieve our new targets to reduce casualties." Thames Valley Police spokesman Nikki Malin said: "We can't enforce speed limits where the order and the signage don't match. We need Oxfordshire County Council to confirm to us when the speed limits are actually in place fully.

She warned motorists that they still risked prosecution for other motoring offences.