WITH its riverside walks, its popular common and its many pubs and restaurants, the village of Kempsey, near Worcester, is in many ways a perfect place to live. Apart from one thing - the A38 runs right through it.

However, villagers could live with this busy road, which connects Worcester and Tewkesbury, were it not for the fact that many drivers are racing along it at more than twice the legal speed limit of 30mph.

So now they're taking the unusual step of passing on to police the details of vehicles they believe may be travelling too fast.

Their frustration is understandable. The speed limit for residential areas is 30mph, and with good reason. Just because their high street happens to be on the way to somewhere else, it doesn't mean the safety of Kempsey residents should be compromised by drivers flouting the law.

If people want to travel at 70mph, they should use the M5, which will take them from Worcester to Tewkesbury and beyond safely, speedily and legally.

Unfortunately, it is unlikely that the villagers' action will have any effect.

The police say they may write to those drivers whose numbers have been noted, but without any proof of how fast they were going, no action can - or should - be taken.

It would be far better if those who are putting people's lives at risk were caught and punished through the proper channels.

Extra police patrols or the installation of a speed camera would solve the problem, and make Kempsey safe and pleasant again.