Villagers fed up with fast drivers knit fake traffic cops and speed cameras to scare them into obeying the limit

Residents of a leafy village plagued by fast drivers have resorted to knitting fake speed cameras to catch out dangerous motorists.

Locals in Fillongley, Warwickshire, have also assembled their own squad of knitted traffic cops by using life-size RAF mannequins, in a crafty bid to fool reckless drivers.

Members of the Fillongley Knit and Natter group created the realistic cameras and mannequins after a spate of crashes along the village's main junction on Nuneaton Road.

Complete with knitted hi-vis jackets, the figures have been tied to lampposts along the road, appearing to hold fake speed cameras.

The group's latest recruit is a knitted RAF airman who is stationed beneath a 30mph sign, complete with a mock speed gun aimed at oncoming traffic.

Locals believe the sign is working and say many drivers are falling for the mock speed cameras.

Motorists became so infuriated by the deceit that some of the fake officers have been stolen. 

Heather Badham is a member of the Knit and Natter group and said the knitted creations have been a success in catching out drivers.

Ms Badham, a parish councillor for Fillongley, said: 'I helped with one of the children sitting on the bench, but I have to say I am the world's worst knitter.

'We started the group for the Queen's last jubilee and the ladies didn't want to stop.

'We've done lots of stuff in the past, including a giant poppy cascade coming down the church.

'We reuse what we've made in different scenarios, so we recycle what we've got.

'We've knitted hi-vis jackets, and speed cameras and put the zebras on the crossing.

'We've got some tortoises to say slow and children on benches with signs to say kill your speed.

'It has had a massive impact.'

Ms Badham claimed most of the crashes are caused by people coming down the main road through the town and not seeing the signs.

She said since putting the knitted displays up, they have spotted people mistaking the characters for real officers and applying the brakes as they pass.

The 58-year-old added: 'We've been chuckling as people could see the man and thought he was real - you could see the brake lights going off.

'We've got two with speed cameras, the one that was stolen and then another on a no entry sign.

'It's just to make a point and make people realise what we're doing.

'I think it's in your peripheral, they don't take notice of the flashing 30 sign and go too fast, but they see the camera.

'They see the camera and slow down, it probably did surprise a lot of people as we don't have cameras there.'

The cameras were installed around the village on October 13 after four months of preparation.

The ingenious creations have spooked so many drivers that one of the 'traffic cops' has been stolen just two days after it was introduced.

Ms Badham added: 'We're hoping someone will bring it back, it means a lot to one of our members.

'The person in the blue uniform is an RAF officer, done by Deb in memory of her dad.

'We have recycled four or five people that were used for D-Day celebrations, so he means a lot to her.'

A second RAF airman-turned-traffic cop is posted on the other side of the village, equipped with another speed camera gun.

Elsewhere, knitted zebras line a key crossing in the town while a woolly tortoise encourages drivers to slow down.

The campaign even includes knitted children holding up a sign saying 'Kill your speed, not our children'.

Official figures show that 11 crashes have taken place on the road in four years at the Nuneaton Road junction - just metres away from a primary school.

Ecologist Tom Docker has lived in the village for a year and says the knitted creations have worked in deterring speeding motorists.

The 42-year-old said: 'I think it's a really good initiative.

'It speaks to the creativity of the local community, it's really good that they've turned their attention to problems in the village.

'Speeding is an issue and we've had quite a lot of accidents here in recent years.

'We have a primary school just off the junction and there isn't a crossing point for them, and that lack of crossing is going to end in tears one day I think.

'There's been a lot of talk of putting in a traffic light system near the junction. My worry is it could cause drivers to speed through the side roads.

'Anything like this is brilliant as it slows drivers.

'I certainly did a double take when I saw the one with the camera, I couldn't believe it.

'They're very effective, well-made and get people talking.

'I really like the fact that it's local people doing this.'

Former lollipop lady Lorna Rosser says the village is in need of some permanent speed cameras and praised the local initiative.

The 66-year-old said: 'You certainly notice them, you need something here.

'I've done all the major roads here and it gets bad.

'And it is dangerous with the speeding I can't believe there isn't a 20mph zone enforced with cameras.

'The problem here is with the bends and people coming around them at high speeds.

'I couldn't believe it when we moved here, there's no lollipop lady. I'm surprised no-one does it.

'They do this a lot here with the knitted things, and this latest campaign is just as good.

'It stays in your memory, you won't forget them and they're very visible, I really like these new 'traffic officers'.