A CAMPAIGN to slow traffic through a West Devon village has been launched by residents infuriated by drivers flouting speed limits.

A host of home-made 30mph signs have popped up in gardens, on hedges and lamp-posts on the main A384 road through Lamerton.

The action was launched by resident Yorkie Malone, who said he was sick of drivers ignoring the 30mph limit.

Mr Malone said: 'When I went to talk to the people on the main road, everyone to a household was backing me and said "Yes, we'll do it" on June 30, the date being appropriate.

'We all put our signs out and consequently there has been a noticeable reduction in speed on the Sunday — let's see what happens with the idiots going through to work on Monday.

'I say idiots because they are the ones that kill our dogs and our cats — the next thing will be our children.'

Mr Malone said the road, which has barely any pavements, is used by many pedestrians, including children and mothers with prams.

'You have kids walking up and down to the bus, you have two old folks' homes, you have a village hall, but there are no signs for old people, children or agricultural vehicles. Other villages in this county have them, why have we been left out?.'

Mr Malone said when police have used speed guns in the area they have 'caught' many drivers, but he felt they did not have the manpower to monitor traffic enough.

'What I would like to see are these new cameras that record the speed when you enter the area, record it when you exit, take the average speed in the middle and send the fine in the post,' he said.

Mr Malone said he would 'wait and see' if the county council took any notice of the speed reduction campaign — if it did not, further action would be planned.

Mike Parnell, the county's local services officer, said speeding was a matter for police enforcement — and speed cameras are normally only installed in accident blackspots.

'There has to be a need for extra signage — if the residents can demonstrate there is a need, certainly we can pursue this,' said Mr Parnell.

Motor Patrol Sergeant Barry Tillyer said: 'We visit something like 120 sites on a regular basis. We have been to Lamerton in the past and if they are raising concerns I will make sure we visit the area.'

MPS Tillyer said speed cameras, costing some £20,000 each, are manned by the police in 'collision cluster sites' but applications for their installations have to be approved by the county council.

New county councillor for the Tavistock area, Roy Connolly, said he will be in contact with Mr Malone to see how he could help with the issue.

He also said he would ask the county's traffic engineer for Tavistock to visit the area.