MOTORISTS passing through a quiet village at the weekend were given a stark warning about the dangers of countryside roads.

Drivers travelling through Middlestone, near Spennymoor, on Friday night were greeted by villager Norman Strongman dressed as the Grim Reaper.

Mr Strongman donned the outfit in a desperate plea to remind drivers to slow down while using the hazardous route through the village.

As a resident of Middlestone for 14 years, the 49-year-old has seen a host of minor bumps and cars leaving the road as they attempt to negotiate the uneven route.

In the past three years there have been three serious crashes.

Last year a young man travelling as a front seat passenger in a car was thrown through the windscreen when it left the road and collided with a sign.

Following that accident the villagers called a public meeting with Durham Police and Durham County Council and succeeded in having a 30mph speed limit introduced.

However, this month a driver was lucky to escape uninjured after his car smashed into the grass verge and rolled over on to its roof.

The latest incident prompted Mr Strongman to hold his demonstration and urge motorists to pass through the village with caution - for their own safety and that of residents.

He said: "There are a series of bumps on the roads approaching the village, the junction of High Road with Low Road is very steep, there is an adverse camber and a blind bend leading to Westerton.

"Basically the whole road is one you have to use extreme caution on and adhere strictly to the 30mph speed limit or you chance loosing control and crashing.

"There are a lot of elderly people and children in the village and no footpaths.

"The road would be perfectly safe if everyone on it was sensible, unfortunately there are a few drivers who see it as a challenge. I want them to stop before they hurt or kill themselves or one of us."

Durham County Council is understood to be carrying out level tests on the road in the coming weeks to see if any of the problems can be rectified.