TAVISTOCK’S community speedwatch group recently clocked 12 speeding motorists when they carried out their first patrol outside Mount Kelly.

The hour-long session saw many drivers travelling at excess speed along the A386 past the school north of town.

They clocked 12 drivers travelling at more than 35 mph, who will be sent a letter advising them to slow down in future.

Tavistock PCSO Kevin Williams said: ‘If the same car keeps triggering warning letters they are then visited by a local officer and future speeding offences can be dealt with in a more robust manner.’

Tavistock Speedwatch are a group of volunteers who work with the police to tackle speeding. They are looking for new members to help monitor the roads around the town.

The group looking to increase the number of monitoring sites in the town as it grows its volunteer base.

Community speedwatch groups are aimed at tackling the growing problem of speeding on rural roads in the area. Community Speedwatch is a national initiative where proactive members of local communities work with the support and supervision of their local police to record details of speeding vehicles using approved detection devices.

Acting on the fact that many measures to improve road safety are only taken afer accidents with casualties, the Speedwatch scheme aims to change people’s behaviour before accidents happen. Speeders get a letter from the group and repeat offenders are visited by a local police officer.

If you would like to become a Speedwatch volunteer in Tavistock or anywhere else in West Devon, you can register your interest at https://www.communityspeedwatch.org. Click on ‘register’ and and select a group from under the drop down menu for ‘Devon and Cornwall Police’. In West Devon, there are groups in Tavistock, Mary Tavy, Milton Abbot, Lifton, Lewdown and Bridestowe, Sampford Courtenay and North Tawton.