‘YOU’RE putting our lives at risk.’ That was the message to speeding motorists as children at a Great Harwood school took part in a traffic-calming exercise.

Dozens of children, aged eight and nine, from Our Lady and St Hubert’s Primary School, Harwood Lane, joined Community Roadwatch volunteers and police as they targeted drivers speeding past their school with a handheld speedgun.

While the volunteers calibrated the gun before the children joined them at the roadside, they clocked a Corsa travelling at 47mph – in a 30mph zone. The driver will get a notice of intended prosecution, community beat manager PC Dave Render said.

The children spent the morning designing placards and ‘speeding tickets’ before holding them up for passing drivers.

Kath Hammerton, whose children have been learning about road safety, said the ‘traffic ambassadors’ had visited a nursery next door to talk about what they had learned.

One ambassador, Thomas Dignan, eight, said: “I think that drivers should stop speeding. If they are driving too fast they are not responsible. I don’t understand why people speed.”

Eve Wall, nine, added: “If they go around a bend and there is an animal crossing, they might run over them. If they brake hard they might crash.”

Signs warning drivers were placed at both ends of the street and children in high-visibility jackets crowded the pavement while volunteers pointed their laser at vehicles.

No cars were pulled over for speeding – but that’s because the children’s campaign was working said PC Render.

He said: “Speeding is hazardous and doing it near to a school, where young children may be crossing the road, is even more dangerous.

“Asking the motorists to speak to the children, and being made to listen to how speeding makes them feel afraid, is more impactive than speaking to police and we hope it will be more likely to get them to change their driving.”