RESIDENTS are taking part in a community road watch scheme as they aim to stop ‘boy racers speeding’ through a village.

Police met with people outside the Stanhill pub in Oswaldtwistle yesterday to help launch the scheme and address speeding in the area.

Numerous complaints have been made by residents of the speed of drivers along Stanhill Lane following on from Stanhill Road.

Richard Hooper, secretary of Stanhill Residents Committee, said speeding has been an issue in the village for some time, and hopes this will help halt the problem.

He said: “We’ve had some boy racers speeding along late at night.

“They have been using it as a race track. It’s during the day as well, people are coming through it too fast.

“We’ve been trying to do something about this for 10 to 15 years. We’ve had a few accidents in the area.

“There have been no fatalities but we think one is going to be right round the corner.”

Stanhill Lane has a 30mph speed limited but Mr Hooper said drivers have been so going at speeds ‘greatly excessing’ this.

He said anyone caught speeding once will be given a warning by police, and if they are caught a second time action will be taken.

Police officers who attended explained and demonstrated to residents different methods which can be used to record speed of drivers.

A similar scheme has previously been set up Knuzden.

Speed surveys have previously been carried out on the road and interactive display signs have been deployed to alert drivers to the speed limit.

However police have now decided to take further action.

A police spokesman said: “Community Road Watch involves police working together with local communities at sites where people are worried about road safety.

“Volunteers, trained by us, work with local officers to address issues such as speeding.”

Oswaldtwistle County Cllr Peter Britcliffe said it ‘was great to see this being set up’.