A rock singer faced with a £1,000 speeding fine was given a helping hand by Top Gear.

Cockney Rebel frontman Steve Harley was reported to have been fined for driving at 70mph on the M25, in Kent, at a time when the limit was temporarily dropped to 40mph.

The story was picked up by Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson, who joked to viewers that they should download the band's hit, Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me) to contribute towards the cost.

The song reportedly reached number 26 in the iTunes download chart.

On Twitter, Mr Harley, a former reporter for the Braintree and Witham Times, Essex County Standard, Maldon and Burnham Standard and the Daily Gazette, said: "Thanks to Jeremy Clarkson's mention on the new series of Top Gear, Make Me Smile has reached number 26 in the charts!

"Can we get it any higher this week by downloading it on iTunes?"