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Police in the US state of New York broke into a vehicle to rescue an apparently frozen woman, only to find it was a mannequin, local media report.

A caller described as "upset" called police on Friday morning to report a woman "frozen to death" in a parked car in the city of Hudson.

Officers found a seat-belted figure wearing an oxygen mask sitting motionless in the passenger seat.

The mannequin's owner said he used it as a medical training aid.

Police said the car was covered in snow, suggesting it had been left overnight in temperatures of about -13C.

The mannequin was extremely realistic, with real clothing, glasses, shoes, teeth and skin blemishes, they added.

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They later tracked down the owner, who complained about the police action.

"It is my understanding that the owner was incredulous that we took action in this matter," police chief L Edward Moore said in a statement.

"He apparently was quite vocal and vulgar to my sergeant."

Chief Moore had this message for mannequin owners.

"Just to clear the record, all citizens of Hudson should be put on notice that if you park your locked vehicle on the street on a sub-zero night with a life-size realistic mannequin seated in it... we will break your window."