BOY racers and commuters who are turning rural lanes into speeding short cuts are to be targeted by police in the Ribble Valley.

Officers armed with mobile speed guns are to begin patrols in villages throughout the valley after investigations revealed a series of hotspots for dangerous driving.

Police chiefs began a review of driver behaviour in the Ribble Valley after complaints from parish councils that fast driving was putting lives at risk.

Officers wanted to identify hotspots rather than begin random checks in areas that might not have a problem, Inspector Bob Ford of Clitheroe Police said today.

In addition to speed guns, a board flashing a smiling face if you're driving within the speed limit, and a frowning face going over it, will be moved to different locations.

Inspector Ford said: "Our investigations have shown that the types of problems with speeding vary from village to village in the Ribble Valley. In places like Sabden and Mellor problems are worse during rush hour in the morning and the evening as people try and use roads in those villages as short cuts and don't adhere to the speed limits.

"Other villages have problems in the evenings with boy racers dashing about, while in Bashall Eaves weekends can be problematic with motorcyclists going very fast. We are going to experiment with the interactive signs, because that should give the message that we know we are looking at their speed."

Ribble Valley Council policy development officer Bill Alker said: "Speeding in villages is one of the biggest single road safety issues in the eyes of our residents. There is a lot of concern."