DRIVERS have been criticised for speeding after more than 50 motorists were recorded breaking the limit outside a village school in one hour.

Officers from Richmond fire station took their speed matrix sign to Askrigg on Tuesday morning, where they flashed a warning to speeding motorists.

Between 8.30am and 9.30am they measured the speeds of 100 vehicles travelling on the road past the school, which has a 30mph limit.

They found that more than half of the vehicles were breaking the speed limit, some by a considerable amount.

Fifteen vehicles were travelling between 41mph and 50mph, and 36 were recorded at between 31mph and 40mph.

The results of the short survey have shocked officers, who believe the findings could only be put down to local drivers, not tourists or visitors to the area.

Assistant Divisional Officer Nigel Phillips said: "When we do these speed campaigns, local people always say it isn't them, it is visitors to the area.

"But at this time and place, it cannot be holiday-makers or tourists, it is local people speeding in their own community. People are doing 40mph and 50mph past the school."

He said that the speeds recorded were probably lower than usual because people slow down when they see the sign.

"The other thing to consider is that these figures are a best case scenario. Without us being there, the figures would probably be a lot worse," he said.

The matrix sign was bought by Richmondshire's Community Safety Partnership earlier this year, along with a speed laser gun.

The sign flashes up the correct speed limit when speeding drivers pass and a camera records the speed of the vehicle.

If the majority are travelling too fast, police return with the laser gun to enforce the law.

Mr Phillips said this would now be case.

"The police will be visiting this location with laser guns in the near future," he said.

On Monday, North Yorkshire Police announced that their crackdown on extreme speeding in the county was paying off.

They said that there was less speeding taking place since they launched their tough policy earlier this year.