TRAFFIC police in Burnley and Pendle are backing a hard-hitting campaign aimed at drivers who put lives at risk by speeding.

Officers say the government's £3.5 million worth of TV and radio publicity is needed to change motorists' behaviour.

Commercials show home-video footage of real children taken before they were killed by speeding drivers, with a soundtrack explaining police procedure for informing parents of a child's death in a road accident.

Dealing with the aftermath of accidents caused by speeding drivers on this area's roads is the job of Sergeant Neil Mainon. He told the Citizen: "Speed is by far the greatest cause of serious injury on the roads.

"Contrary to popular belief, speed limit enforcement is not a police fund-raising exercise. It is done to reduce the accident injury rate.

"Officers in the traffic division know that speed kills. They are dealing with tragedy on a day-to-day basis and see first hand the devastation that speeding vehicles have caused for local families."

He added: "Fatal accidents occur at 30mph in built-up areas, or at 80mph on rural stretches, and this area has an abundance of both.

"Anyone in the community, from young to old, is susceptible to speed-related accidents."

And he warned: "We are targeting roads in the area with high accident rates."

Lancashire police are stepping up the fight against speeders by introducing new laser speed-scopes which photograph speeding vehicles and record offences.

The TV and radio campaign is being backed up with posters, which are going up at garages, libraries, leisure centres and police stations all over Lancashire.

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