Instructors from the Scottish Police College staged a dramatic high speed chase in Perthshire.
Traffic was slowed as the “pursuit” took place on the northbound carriageway of the M90, with motorists looking-on as the vehicles tore past.
They saw a grey Ford Sierra being followed “at very high speed” by four marked police vehicles as they passed Bridge of Earn.
Believing that the incident was real, one described the vehicle as “weaving from lane to lane” and its driver as “clearly very determined to escape from the police”.
Checks with Police Scotland, however, soon revealed that its officers were not involved in any such activities.
A spokesman for the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan said roads policing officers were currently in the midst of an intensive five-week course and had been taking part in a “pursuit management driving” course.
“Our instructors were showing the students how it should be done,” he said.
“They demonstrated the skills and tactics that are used during a pursuit and how to contain a fleeing vehicle.”
Over the next few days, the students will stage their own pursuits though off-road, at Leuchars.
The college stages around six such training exercises each year.