THREE Blackburn Rovers players were among hundreds of motorists caught out by a controversial speed limit change, it was revealed today.

Brett Emerton, Nikola Kalinic and Chris Samba were each snapped going36mph in a 30mph zone on the A59 Longsight Road, near Abbott Brow in Osbaldeston.

It has emerged they and hundreds more were caught out when the speed limit was dropped from 40mph to 30mph.

At the time of the change, highways chiefs came under fire as the sign warning about the new speed limit was placed so it could only be seen after motorists had gone through the camera.

And thousands of pounds in fines were taken in fines, despite many people - including the Rovers stars - driving below the original limit.

Critics said the situation showed that bosses should have taken more care to warn drivers.

Motorists were caught out last November, December and January after the change.

Council bosses pledged to improve the signage in late January after local resident David Birtwistle highlighted the issue.

But recent court records have revealed how many motorists were caught out before.

On a single day at Hyndburn Magistrates’ Court 25 other motorists were prosecuted for speeding past the same camera.

It is estimated that the final toll is in the 100s.

The road is close to Rovers’ training ground at Brockhall Village and the three Rovers stars were among those caught.

Samba, 27, was caught in his £60,000 Audi Q7 three litre on November 23.

He pleaded guilty by letter at Blackburn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday and was fined £60 with £15 victim surcharge and £50 costs.

The 6ft4in Congolese international was given three points on his licence.

Emerton, 32, was caught exceeding the 30mph limit in a black £50,000 BMW X5 three litre estate on the same day, November 23.

The Australian international, also pleaded guilty via letter.

Hyndburn magistrates fined him £45, plus a £15 victim surcharge.

Emerton was also given three penalty points on his driving licence.

Kalinic, 22, was driving the same Audi Q7 model as Samba when he was stopped the next day, November 24.

He also chose not to appear in person and entered a guilty plea through letter.

The Croatian striker, who signed for Blackburn in August 2009, was fined £60 with £50 costs and a victim surcharge of £15.

He was also given three penalty points on his driving licence.

Fined drivers, including the footballers, would have been able to appeal.

But they were likely to be unsuccessful because the camera and signage complied with Department of Transport guidelines.

Peter Bell, senior engineer at the Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety, said: “We recognise that changes to speed limits can cause confusion.

“The temporary warning sign was moved to a more prominent position before the camera."

But former ward councillor David Eccleston, who lives in the area, said more should have been done to notify people of the changes.

He said: “I think the county council are quite wrong in how they didn’t make an issue of it.

“They just did it. They changed the speed and there was no more than that.

“If you use the same road every day you just assume it is the same as always.

“I think there should have been a notice board put up for five or six weeks to let everybody know that is what they were doing.”

Blackburn Rovers declined to comment.