Vehicles with potentially dodgy histories are to be targeted by police across North Yorkshire and the North East.

Q-registration motors - whose date of manufacture cannot be determined - will get extra attention from officers taking part in Operation Outlaw.

Originally designed to cover specialist cars made from kits or those rebuilt after crashes, the Q-plate system was devised to ensure prospective buyers knew the vehicle's history was questionable.

But police say the system is being abused to hide the identity of stolen cars, especially when they comprise parts from a number of vehicles.

Research carried out by Durham Police - who are working alongside the North Yorkshire, Cleveland, Cumbria, and Northumbria forces in Operation Outlaw - found that 85 per cent of motors examined turned out to be stolen.

Letters have been sent to owners of Q-registered cars inviting them to bring their vehicles to specialist garages.

If owners fail to show up, they can expect the police to make further inquiries

Traffic patrols across North Yorkshire and the North-East will be keeping a lookout for Q-cars on the roads for the next month.

Det Sgt Alan Morris said: "Not only are many Q-cars stolen and owned by people who have gone to some lengths to cover their true origin, but those which comprise parts from different cars and different years clearly pose a significant risk.

"Kit cars, which are usually put together by enthusiasts, are, on the whole, pretty safe.

"But a lot of Q-vehicles have the potential to be a danger to their owners, or indeed, other people."