A mum whose son was killed by a speeding motorist while out jogging is calling for tougher driving laws.

Ida Woodward' son, Nick, a 22-year-old lance corporal in the military police, died in 2002 when a car mounted the pavement and hit him.

The driver, who had previous driving convictions, was later banned from driving for six months, fined £2,500 and ordered to pay £1,500 costs after admitting careless driving and speeding in a 40mph zone.

The court heard reports that it was difficult to calculate his speed, but it was between 48mph and 71mph.

"My life and the lives of my other three children and my six grandchildren have been ruined forever. He was the most wonderful son, who did everything with me when he was on leave," said, from Pickering.

"I watch people speeding all the time and as a grandmother it scares me. Something needs to be done. People should realise that when they get into their cars, they are in charge of a lethal weapon."

Her plea comes at a time when North Yorkshire Police Force is considering its policy on speed cameras.

At present, there are no fixed speed cameras across North Yorkshire's 6,000 miles of road, and the force uses other methods to combat speeding offences.

The police commander for the Ryedale area, Insp Neil Burnett, said: "It's a complicated issue - cameras are criticised by motoring organisations, which view them as more arbitrary than a police officer at the side of the road.

"We don't want to alienate drivers who we are trying to educate about speeding restrictions.

"On the other hand, communities across Ryedale tell us that one of their major concerns is speeding motorists.

"There are around 150 communities in Ryedale, and all of them could be said to suffer speeding problems, and that is before you get to the major roads which link them.

"As the enforcing body, it is our job to get it right."