A police officer has been removed from front-line duties after shocking footage emerged of him grabbing a man by the throat before punching him in the face.

Shane Price, 20, said he feared for his life after he was pinned to the ground by the heavy-handed cop.

Video footage shows the officer punching, stamping on his injured foot and throwing him to the ground on the A46 near Newark, Notts. last Wednesday (26/5).

Tree surgeon Shane can be heard politely addressing the officer before he is grabbed by the throat, repeatedly asking: '"What are you doing? What are you doing?"

Shane can also be heard pleading with the officer not to hurt him because he has a chainsaw injury to his foot.

He kicks his shoe off so the officer can see the stitches, but the officer stamps on his foot before he pins him to the ground.

Shane can be heard shouting "I can't breathe, I can't breathe."

Shane said: "I was driving down the A46 towards Lincoln to get some food with my wife.

"As I've put my indicator on he's come flying behind me and when he got beside me, he took a photo.

"Obviously I was concerned about the photo of my wife and I and him using his phone while driving.

"I flashed him and once I did, he pulled over. I asked him why he was taking photos and using his phone.

"I told it him was illegal and that he wouldn't have had full concentration on the road and could have crashed into anything.

"He then grabbed me by the arm and the back of my neck and pushed me towards the fence. I started to get panicky and scared, I was worried about my wife — I didn't know what was going on and this gentleman started physical contact with me.

"He never told me he was a police officer or part of the law. To my imagination, he looked like a security guard."

The officer can be heard on the video, which was filmed by Shane's wife, Sherry, 19, from inside their van, calling for assistance over a two-way radio.

Shane said another police car arrived and he was held for several hours at a police station in Lincoln before being released under investigation.

The officer, who appeared to be wearing a police uniform with a bomber jacket over the top, has since been removed from normal duties pending an internal investigation.