PUPILS at Tockholes Primary School have declared war on speeders -- by designing their own warning posters.

Speed bumps and chicanes were already installed on Tockholes Road to create a 20mph limit, making it safer for children at the Rock Lane school and local residents. Then a competition, spearheaded by Blackburn with Darwen Council, set the school's 48 children to work on designs for a sign to warn drivers to slow down.

Eight-year-old pupils Tom Connell, of Swan Farm Close, Lower Darwen, and Jack Thompson of Tockholes Road, were the winners.

Tom said: "I did a drawing the first time and decided it wasn't very good so I drew another one. I think it's very important that cars go slowly through our village."

Jack, eight, said: "The drawing took about ten minutes and I didn't expect to win but I'm very glad I did." Headteacher Barbara Cocken said: "I think the scheme will have a huge impact on the village and I'm glad we've been able to get the children involved.

"The children know all about the different types of traffic-calming devices. We actually went along the road and did a project on where the humps would be best placed."

Infants teacher Linda Kennish, a mother of a six-year-old at the school, said: "We will be doing a survey on the road in March to see if the drivers are actually slowing down. I'm quite sure there will be a dramatic decrease."

Coun Jean Rigby helped secure around £60,000 in funding for traffic calming.

Andy Kay, executive member for regeneration, said: "Tockholes residents have complained for many years about the speed of traffic."