Two young boys from a North Yorkshire village could succeed where others have failed next week when council officials sit down to examine a bid for road safety package for their community.

Luke Byrne, 11, and 13-year-old Thomas Lamb admit they have always been nervous about crossing the main road through Hornby, near Great Smeaton.

Like most youngsters, their games of football are punctuated by trips to retrieve wayward balls - but they have always had to be particularly careful as, they say, few drivers bother to observe the 30mph limit.

However, when the boys saw a friend's pet cat crushed beneath the wheels of a car, they decided enough was enough.

Soon, they were knocking on doors asking villagers to help them persuade North Yorkshire County Council to act - and a letter typed on Luke's parents' computer along with a 33-name petition appears to have had an impact.

County Hall has already written to Great Smeaton and Hornby Parish Council requesting its views and, on Monday evening, the County Committee for Hambleton meets at the East Thirsk Community Hall to consider what to do next.

Additional road markings, better signs and rumble strips are all suggested in a report compiled by county council officer, Eddy Hayward.

Committee members will be asked to vote on whether they feel the authority should support the proposals.

Luke confirmed he hoped to be in the public gallery next week.

''At the moment, cars just bomb through the village where there are lots of young children,'' he said.

Thomas added: ''Everyone we spoke to during the summer holidays signed our petition.

People told us they have been asking for better signs and things for ages so they hoped we did well.''

Both boys' parents admitted they were very proud of what their sons had achieved so far. ''It's about time something was done,'' said Thomas's mother, Joanne Lamb. ''The boys decided to do something when they saw a friend's cat run over but - unless something is done - it could so easily be a child.''