School children have teamed up with the police to urge drivers to slow down in their village.

The pupils from Therfield First School unveiled a new banner at The Causeway, Therfield, last week.

They have worked with Hertfordshire Police and and DriveSafe, an initiative run by volunteers in the village, to design the banner, which was was made following a visit to the school by David Whitby, from DriveSafe, and PCSO Chris Brabrook from the Royston Neighbourhood Policing team. The pair hosted a speed awareness assembly, after which children were asked to take part in a competition to design a poster remind motorists to drive safely in Therfield, where a 30mph speed limit is in place.

PCSO Brabrook said: “We were really pleased to work alongside the DriveSafe team and Therfield First School on this great initiative which has not only enabled us to educate local children about road safety, but we also now have a new banner reminding motorists to keep to the speed limit in an area where they tend to speed.

“Speed limits through villages are in place to keep people safe. In villages such as Therfield, the traffic flow is less than in a busy town so children may play near the roads and accidently run into them. It’s therefore very important that everyone keeps to the speed limit.”

A total of 27 children took part in the competition and drawings belonging to three children – Izzy Arnott, six, Clover Cockburn, five, and Charlie Barret, four - were selected as winners. Their posters were chosen as their designs were eye catching and gave clear messages to motorists, and all three have been combined on the banner.

DriveSafe was launched by Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner David Lloyd, and succeeded the old Community Speedwatch scheme which was in place in a lot of rural areas. Volunteer teams use monitoring equipment to encourage speeding motorists to slow down, with police ready to step in if enforcement is needed.

Commissioner Lloyd said: “I am sure that the banner will make a real difference in the local area and I would encourage other communities to get involved in DriveSafe if they are experiencing similar problems with speeding motorists.”

For further information about DriveSafe visit www.hertscommissioner.org