SEVEN residents in Briercliffe have been trained to use hand-held speed guns.

The town is one of three areas in the county chosen to pilot Lancashire Police's Community Roadwatch Scheme.

After concerns over road safety raised to PC Ian Thompson and Police Community Support Officer Dave Johnson during PACT meetings in Briercliffe, seven residents signed on as Lancashire Police Volunteers.

They have been trained at police headquarters in Hutton, near Preston, to use speed monitoring equipment.

They will take to the streets to monitor speed as well as check that seat belts are being worn and drivers are not using their mobile phones.

The Community Roadwatch volunteers do not enforce the law but report the registrations of offending vehicles to the police.

PC Thompson and PCSO Johnson accompanied two volunteers as they checked cars and vans in Burnley Road, Briercliffe, on Sunday.

And in just one hour, 12 vehicles were reported.

Three were exceeding the speed limit, one driver was using a mobile phone and drivers of another eight cars were not wearing seat belts.

Community Roadwatch volunteer Mandy Etherington said: "I am looking forward to making an impact in the area.

"I am confident that Community Roadwatch will make the roads a safer place for motorists and pedestrians.

"The results we gained in one hour obviously show that there is a need for a scheme like this in our village."

PC Thompson added: "I am pleased Briercliffe has been chosen as one of the three pilot areas in Lancashire.

"At a recent PACT meeting, speeding was raised as a primary concern in the village and now we are able to work together with the community to address this."