A van driver has been nabbed by police... for using the wrong type of fuel.

Officers pulled over the motorist near the Dartford Crossing, and found he was using red diesel.

The fuel's tax is a lot cheaper than ordinary diesel, and is reserved for vehicles used in the construction and agricultural industries.

Kent Police's roads unit tweeted to say the vehicle was found to be using red diesel, and the driver was dealt with by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs Fuel Testing Unit.

The unit, which was launched last year to tackle the trade in illegal diesel, allows officers to test vehicles at the roadside.

One Twitter user described red diesel as "a victimless crime", to which the police roads unit responded: "A victimless crime is still a crime!"

The motorist was pulled over as part of a multi-agency clampdown by officers, who are stopping vehicles near the Dartford Crossing to see if any offences have been committed.

Other drivers have been stopped on suspicion of drug-driving, cannabis possession, and having no licence or insurance.

An HMRC spokesman said: "HMRC fights fuel fraud on a wide range of fronts, which includes specialist units inspecting retail sites, detecting and dismantling fuel laundering plants and performing roadside checks on private and commercial vehicles.

"Working with our partner agencies, we have a rolling programme of oils activity throughout the UK, which can involve checking vehicles, both commercial and private, for rebated fuel misuse or visiting filling stations to ensure they are fully compliant.

"Motorists caught using red diesel in their vehicles may face a hefty fine and the seizure of their vehicle. Anyone with information about fuel fraud can contact the Customs Hotline on 0800 59 5000 or report it online."