POLICE have told villagers they still may decide not to introduce a 30mph speed limit in the Slack, Butterknowle.

A traffic officer said yesterday that despite a newspaper report about comments made during a recent meeting in Barnard Castle, it was still not certain that a speed restriction would be implemented.

Mick Straugheir, of Durham Police traffic division, was reported to have told Teesdale Accident Prevention Panel that the speed restriction would be in place by the end of the year.

But yesterday he said that although possible restrictions in the area had been discussed at a meeting two years ago, it had been decided they would not be implemented. He said this could remain the case despite an ongoing review of speed limits in the county.

Mr Straugheir said: "Although it is being looked at we don't want to get the hopes of people living in the Slack, in Butterknowle, up too much, because nothing is certain.

"Our main concern is that people may read the report and take it as gospel, but that is not the case and although both the police and the county council have looked into this, a speed restriction may still not be implemented at the Slack."