The owner of an Only-Fools-and-Horses van was pulled over by Sussex Police because of an inflatable doll in the back.

The Del Boy impersonator was stopped by police on Saturday on his way to pick up a groom and best man for a wedding.

Richard Foster, 34, who runs Bognor-based Del Boy Van Hire, said the policeman who pulled him over at the weekend had a “sense of humour failure”.

Included in the van hire deal are blow-up dolls in the back seat - inspired by the episode where Del acquires a batch of faulty sex dolls, which have been filled with an explosive gas.

Mr Foster, from Bognor Regis, Sussex, said: “I thought there must be an emergency when I first saw the police car's blue lights flashing in my rear view mirror.

“I haven't had any problems or been stopped in the van before - in the past police officers have waved as they have gone past.”

Mr Foster was told he was committing a Section 5 public order offence as the doll could cause alarm or distress.

Mr Foster continued: “I can't believe anyone is going to be alarmed by this doll. The police should be putting public money into fighting real crime.

“I think this is an example of the sad world we live in. The world has gone mad.

Mr Foster, who also works as a flying instructor added: “I have had policemen in the past ask to take pictures with the car.

“Every single person I have told about this thinks it's outrageous and a waste of police time and resources.”

The police officer threatened Mr Foster with a ticket in Bognor Regis at lunchtime on Saturday, June 22.

In a clip on the firm's Facebook page, the police officer can be seen saying: “I was just checking there is an offence, and there is an offence there.”

Mr Foster, who labelled the policeman 'a jobsworth', can be heard protesting “It's not a sex doll”, but the officer is unmoved.

He said: “It might not look like a sex doll to you, but to other members of the public...”

A Sussex police spokesman said: "The officer felt its obvious attributes were not appropriate for family viewing.

“We thank Mr Foster for his co-operation.”

People responded angrily on Facebook with one user posting: “No sense of humour and obviously got nothing better to do with his time & our taxes!!”