RESIDENTS have launched a petition calling for traffic calming measures in their village, claiming it is only a matter of time before someone is killed.

North Bitchburn Residents’ Association says the village, near Crook, has been plagued by speeding motorists for years and is demanding action is taken.

Earlier this month, a suspected drink-driver ploughed into a wall, two fences and a car before his vehicle flipped and landed on its roof in a garden on North Bitchburn Terrace.

During the accident, on Saturday, March 7, the out-of-control Vauxhall Corsa hit a parked Citroen Berlingo with such force the Berlingo spun around and collided with a Vauxhall Combo van parked behind.

The driver escaped with non-life threatening injuries, but residents fear the next accident could be fatal.

They are also fed up of damage to their cars and property, with wing mirrors regularly being knocked off by speeding cars.

In 2007, Allison Fairhurst, who has lived in North Bitchburn Terrace, a 30mph zone, for 15 years, was woken in the middle of the night by an accident outside her home in which her and her husband’s cars were written off.

Her neighbour Ken Cairns’ car, meanwhile, was written off in a separate accident.

He said: “This has been a problem for donkeys' years but nothing is being done. If we can’t have speed bumps they need to look at other options.”

Mrs Fairhurst said: “We’ve had so much damage in this village because of speeding cars it’s beyond a joke. Our grandchildren come here and I worry for their safety when we are on the pavement getting in and out of the car.

“Is it going to take someone getting killed before they do something about this?”

The residents will present the petition to police and councillors at a Police and Community Together meeting at Howden-le-Wear Primary School on Wednesday, April 8, at 6.30pm.

John Reed, head of technical services at Durham County Council, said: “We have not been approached about traffic calming measures in the village, but we always consider any request carefully.

“When considering these requests we take into account accident trends in recent years and prioritise accordingly subject to available funding.”