DRIVERS were caught racing at an astonishing 60mph on busy 30mph roads during a police operation.

Neighbourhood policing officers stopped 30 cars for speeding during the patrol on Thursday in Padiham Road and Brunshaw Avenue, Burnley.

A number of these cars were caught doing twice the speed limit near to schools and a nursery.

It has prompted police in Burnley to warn motorists to watch their speed on the roads and said that ‘speed limits are in place for a reason.’

Burnley and Padiham Police, who posted the warning on Facebook, said: “The local neighbourhood team have been out today on Padiham Road and Brunshaw Avenue doing speed checks.

“ Thirty cars were stopped for speeding, with a number doing twice the speed limit near to schools and a nursery.

“Speed limits are in place for a reason, as this picture highlights.”

Officers posted a photo from the road safety campaign ‘THINK’ which provides information for motorists and encourages safer behaviour to reduce the number of people killed and injured on roads every year.

The photo shows a child's face with one message reading - 'hit at 30mph, there is an 80 per cent chance I'll live', while another message reads - 'hit at 40mph, there is an 80 per cent chance I'll die'.

The image concludes by saying 'it's 30 for a reason'.

Mike Bristow, spokesman for Brake, the Road Safety Charity said that speed limits exist to ‘help save lives.’

He said: “It is extremely important that all drivers recognise that speed limits exist to help save lives.

“We urge all drivers to make roads safer by staying within limits, taking bends and junctions slowly, and slowing down to 20 or below around homes, schools and shops.

“Put simply, if you don’t speed, you won’t get caught or fined, and you’re less likely to be involved in a potentially devastating crash.”

Research shows speed is one of the main factors in fatal roads.

In 2013, 3,064 people were killed or seriously injured in crashes where speed was a factor.

The risk of death is approximately four times higher when a pedestrian is hit at 40mph than at 30mph

For more information on road safety, visit http://think.direct.gov.uk/speed.html