SPEEDING drivers faced a dressing down from school pupils during a speed watch road safety campaign in Leaden Roding.

Three year six pupils at Rodings Primary School were shown how to use a police speed detection device and helped to keep watch for offenders breaking the 30mph speed limit outside their school.

Some 13 drivers were stopped for speeding and faced questioning from the children who wanted to know why the offenders were breaking the limit.

They also told the drivers how their disregard for the law was putting lives at risk. One driver was issued with a fixed penalty notice, which incurs a fine of �60 and three points, for travelling at 46 mph and another faces court for driving without a driving licence and no insurance.

During the speed check (on Wednesday July 6) the children also looked out for drivers who were not wearing seat belts, another contributory factor to serious or fatal casualties in road collisions.

The event was run by Essex Police roads policing officer, Pc Debi Gray Farrer, Essex County Council road safety officers Rose Johnson and Lorna Yeadon, and Pcso Joanna Travail-Phillips.

During the previous week the pupils involved in the speedwatch had spent time with Mrs Yeadon and PCSO Travail-Phillips and made posters and compiled a list of questions that they wanted to put to the offending drivers.Pc Gray Farrer said: “Roads policing officers are committed to reducing the number of fatal and serious injury collisions on our roads.

“One of the four most common factors that can have a big impact in road collisions is excess speed. All the agencies involved are extremely keen to reduce the speed some drivers travel at through Leaden Roding. By doing this type of education it heightens the children’s awareness of the many dangers on the roads and helps them to assess speed.

“The children are encouraged to go home and pass on what they have learnt to their parents.

“One of the drivers stopped stated he was in a hurry as he had been stuck behind a lorry and was late. He was asked by the children how he would have felt if due to his speed he had knocked one of the over and injured or killed them?

“The majority of road users are law-abiding citizens who comply with the road laws and we would like to thank them for this and hope that this continues.

“Our aim is reduce collisions in the county and to make the roads a safer place to travel on.”