YOUNGSTERS aim to slow speeding motorists who pass their school by designing scarecrows to look like police officers.

Pupils from Toft Hill Primary School, Bishop Auckland, will work with the police to design and create the scarecrows.

The figures will be placed in a field to try to slow drivers speeding along the A68 near to the school.

Headteacher Janice Stobbs said: “The children’s safety is paramount to us. We worry that the speed at which vehicles pass along the A68 could be the cause of a serious accident one day.

“Getting the children to design a police scarecrow will really fire their imaginations. It will also provide some very important road safety advice at the same time.”

The pupils will be split into teams and they will have until the end of April to complete their scarecrow design.

The winning team will receive certificates from Durham Constabulary at an event in May.

PCSO Lee Blaney, of Bishop Auckland neighbourhood policing team, said: “Speeding vehicles on the A68 are a major concern for locals.

“We wanted to work with the children to develop an idea that could promote a safety message. We hope the scarecrows will slow people down and make the area safer.”