Village schoolchildren build scarecrows to deter speeding motorists

According to Northchapel Primary School, the speed of traffic in the village is a ‘major concern’ for many residents and parents.

A spokesperson said: “Some of the scarecrows were made by the children at the school, with each class making their own during road safety week.

“Parents have major concerns as many children in the village walk to school but there is no safe crossing point and no ‘lollipop person’ to help.”

Headteacher Deborah Coggin said, this year, ‘more than ever, the school is encouraging children to walk to school.

She added: “We have been without a school crossing patrol for quite some time and it is of even greater importance that we teach children the skills around road safety and that we work to bring about speed awareness to all those driving through the village.

“Children in Year 6 take part in bike-ability training each year but as of this year, the trainers declined to take the children out on to the main roads in the village to do this because of traffic concerns.

“Like many other local villages who have similar speed/noise concerns about traffic, Northchapel folk are trying to show as a community that they want to do something about speeding through their village.”

Residents have come together to set up a Northchapel CANS group (Communities Against Noise & Speed) and the next step ‘will be to get a community speedwatch group together’.