VILLAGERS who have campaigned for speed control measures for several years hope a new project could have helped their cause.

Traffic officers are set to conduct a review of speeding in Sadberge after a community speedwatch programme identified the extent of the problem.

Residents in the village to the north-east of Darlington joined the Speedwatch programme which has become popular in villages around the town since it was launched last year.

During the first sessions, which lasted a total of two hours and 40 minutes, 32 motorists were found to be travelling faster than 35mph.

However, a follow-up crackdown carried out on Easter Sunday, which was expected to be quiet, further highlighted the problem.

PC Julian Brown was present during the operation when 21 motorists were caught driving faster than 35mph in an-hour period on Middleton Road, travelling towards Sadberge. He added 125 cars drove up the road during the session - meaning one in five was speeding.

Letters will be sent out to motorists who broke the speed limit.

PC Brown said at a meeting of Sadberge Police and Communities Together (Pact) last week: "These figures have caused quite a bit of consternation."

The figures have been sent to Durham Police's traffic unit for investigation. An extended review is expected to take place.

Parish council chairman Millie Scaife said: "This bears out the perception of speeding we have in the village."

A previous survey has suggested Middleton Lane is used as a rat run by drivers wanting to avoid the outskirts of Darlington.

Villagers and parish councillors have also spoken to senior police officers about the problem at a recent police surgery.

Alan Burrows, chairman of the Pact group, said: "It has demonstrated quite clearly we have a problem with speeding.

"I came away from that meeting quite confident that things will be looked at."

Parish and borough councillors also said the meeting was a positive one.

Darlington borough councillor Brian Jones, who represents the Sadberge ward, said: "It was refreshing to have such a positive outlook."

They have previously campaigned for measures to restrict speed including visors to display speed or possible build-outs.

Monitoring of speed will be kept as one of the priorities of the Sadberge Pact group.