SPEEDING motorists are being stopped in their tracks - thanks to Cononley schoolchildren.

A 20mph speed zone has been created in a bid to stop drivers speeding through the village and using it as a rat run.

And to help hammer the message home, Cononley Primary School children have given the signs a personal touch.

Headteacher Glenys Lofthouse said she was con-vinced that the children's designs would help persuade people to cut their speed.

"I wasn't convinced to start with, but now they're up, I can see the need for them," she said.

The school was asked to get involved by North Yorkshire County Council which has used children's designs on similar schemes across the county.

Mrs Lofthouse said: "We get so many people asking us to take part in competitions, but because it was the North Yorkshire Road Safety advisor who we've worked closely with, I said we'd give it a go.

"When they went up we were delighted, all the classes have gone to have a look at them," she said.

Mrs Lofthouse said following a road accident involving a child at the school a few years ago, the pupils and staff were very aware of traffic.

"A few years ago, a child was injured on the road and had to be airlifted to hospital. The village can get very busy and we are very aware of it," she added.

All the children in the school came up with a design and the best were chosen to feature on the signs.

Mrs Lofthouse added: "The winners will also get a quarter size replica of their design to keep forever."

The signs, together with speed "tables", are at four places in the village - at Crosshills Road, Skipton Road, Main Street and Netherghyll Lane.

Cononley Parish Council clerk David Gulliver said the jury was still out as to whether they had been a success.

He said the aim was to stop people from driving through the village in a bid to avoid the A629, and to slow them down.

"We won't get everyone to slow down to 20mph, but it will reduce the overall speed," he said.

Police officers will carry out speed checks from time to time, but the idea is that it will be self-policed.

And Mr Gulliver believed that the children's additions would help attract attention.

"It makes them a bit more local and it's created a talking point and children will take more notice," he added.