Drivers get advice from pupils (From Mid Devon Star)

Drivers get advice from pupils

9:18am Monday 9th November 2009

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DRIVERS in Barnstaple received valuable road safety advice from pupils of Orchard Vale community school, when the pupils helped police officers during an operation.

The "Not in my Neighbourhood" initiative was organised by the local policing team for the Whiddon Valley area, and formed part of a national operation to improve safety in communities through partnership working practice.

The Orchard Vale event included representatives from North Devon Homes and staff members from local shops.

Officers and their helpers used speed detection equipment to monitor Whiddon Drive where a number of vehicles were stopped, and the children spoke to the drivers to question them about their excessive speed while driving on the road.

The pupils also received a lesson in road and fire safety from the local fire community safety team, which had brought along fire service vehicles for the children to view and learn from.

Police community support officer Hannah Denton said: "This initiative provided an interesting and practical opportunity for the pupils to provide a real difference to improving road safety within the area of their school.

"The drivers who were stopped showed genuine remorse and understanding concerning their speeding, and this message was compounded by the input from our colleagues from the fire service".

Orchard Vale School, which celebrates its tenth birthday this year, was congratulated when the pupils formed a figure of ten on the ground, while a search and rescue helicopter from the Chivenor base flew overhead and took photos of the delighted children.

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