DRIVERS faced some stern questioning by school pupils after being stopped for speeding on a busy road.

A total of 29 Year 6 pupils from Great Easton School joined police and road safety officers in the special Speedwatch operation on the B184 – a busy thoroughfare linking Dunmow and Thaxted – outside the school.

The event was aimed at raising awareness, both with children and drivers, of the dangers of speeding.

One of the questions that the children put to the driver was ‘How would you feel if you killed me because you were driving too fast?’

Year 6 teacher Chloe Bonich said: “It was an enjoyable morning but with a strong message. The children were able to ask some really powerful questions which came as a bit of a shock to the drivers.”

She added: “I didn’t think the event would have as big an impact as it did have.”

Earlier the pupils had worked with Essex County Council road safety officers Claire Stone and Lorna Yeadon and local PCSO Simon Horne to prepare posters and leaflets plus a list of questions they wanted to put to offending drivers.

The children were then shown how to use a speed measuring device and helped officers keep watch on passing vehicles using the 30mph limit road.

One motorist, clocked doing 48mph, was reported for speeding and is due to go to court.

Other drivers who were recorded at travelling up to 39mph were spoken to by the pupils.

Organiser Pc Debi Gray Farrer, from Bocking Road Policing Unit, said: “The majority of the road users were travelling within the speed limit for which we thank them and we hope this continues. However, it is unacceptable to think that these drivers were travelling at speeds up to 48mph in a 30mph limit outside a school.

“The children were amazed at the speeds and were pleased to have a chance to speak to the offending drivers.”