POLICE and teachers have criticised speeding motorists after a clampdown outside schools.

A recent enforcement campaign was held outside five schools in Richmond, North Yorkshire.

Eight motorists were prosecuted by officers monitoring speeds during the morning and afternoon, with one driver caught at more than 50mph in a 30mph zone.

Ten motorists were given warnings.

Sergeant John Lumbard said: "This behaviour was going on at exactly the times when there was a large volume of traffic and pedestrians, many of them children.

"Speed limits are there for good reasons, and one of the best reasons is the protection of children crossing the road. This is not good enough and we will be taking further action."

Richmond School headmaster Phil Beever said he found the results very worrying.

He said: "It is something that I am very concerned about and we will be looking to work with the police to see how this situation can be improved.

"One of the problems we have is that some motorists drive past the school at speed to show off to our students.

"This is how accidents can occur, especially when we have a lot of traffic, including the school buses."

The campaign was the latest operation by the emergency services to target speeding motorists outside schools.

Police found that more than 40 per cent of drivers broke the 30mph limit when they monitored speeds outside Askrigg School, in Wensleydale, this year.