ROAD safety campaigners in Radcliffe have slammed an apology from motor-mouth motoring pundit Jeremy Clarkson after he promoted speeding in his newspaper column.

A letter of apology, written on Mr Clarkson's behalf, has been sent to Dave and Elaine Jones, of Olsberg Close, after he encouraged drivers to break the speed limit in an article he penned for The Sun. The couple's 15-year-old daughter, Natalie, was knocked down and killed by a speeding driver in Bolton Road, Radcliffe, in February last year.

Part of Mr Clarkson's piece read: "Learn to drive very fast. If you drop the kids at school at eight and you need to be at work for half past, it's no good dawdling along behind some old duffer in a Rover. Get past."

He also advocated "do 100 whenever it's physically possible". But Mr Jones said the apology wasn't enough. He said: "The letter hasn't actually come from Jeremy Clarkson, but from his personal assistant writing and signing on his behalf. Also it is on plain paper without any other ID other than his name. It falls well short of what my wife and I, and other victims, had hoped for.

"With such an impersonal and detached response to the matter, it suggests that little thought or sympathy has gone into writing it, nor any genuine understanding of the pain and heartbreak that we, and other bereaved road crash victims, have to endure."

The letter stated that the newspaper article, published in April, was intended to be "tongue in cheek" and not taken literally.

Mr Jones added: "We thank Mr Clarkson's PA for the letter, but until such time as he apologises personally to all bereaved families who have lost loved ones due to excessive speed, and promises to refrain from making tongue in cheek comments about this unlawful behaviour, we will not be satisfied."

Natalie's parents have now set up a help group to support bereaved parents and road accident victims.

They have joined forces with road safety campaigner Allan Ramsay to set up a support group in the town, which will meet each month at the Jones' home.

Mr Jones said: "We are members of the RoadPeace group in Manchester but for some people in this area it's a little too far for them to get to. So we have decided to set up a group in Radcliffe.

"About ten of us got together last week and thought that it would be a good idea to do the same every month. There are people that are left out in the cold when it comes to support, and meeting up will give us the chance to plan forthcoming events."

The next meeting will take place on July 19 and anyone is welcome to join in. For more information contact the Radcliffe Times on 762-6450 and your number will be passed onto Mr Jones.

l A "SPEED reminder" sign has been again been positioned in Bolton Road to help slow speeding traffic.

The radar activated sign, near to the Turf pub, flashes a reminder of the 30mph limit if a driver approaches the sign driving faster.

Inspector Steve Clark, head of Radcliffe township, said: "Experience of the use of such a sign in other parts of the country has shown that they are effective in reducing speed in a locality during the first couple of weeks that the sign is in place.

"This has nothing whatsoever to do with the application for a speed camera and is definitely not an indication of the Department for Transport having turned down the application. This is simply an attempt to encourage drivers to moderate their speed and thereby save someone else getting badly hurt."