A SAFETY conscious pensioner has come up with a bright idea to stop motorists speeding through a Wiltshire village.

Before Joe Burbidge, of Hillcrest School Road, Seend, strolls out for his morning paper he pulls on a luminous yellow jacket which has a 30mph sign on the back.

He hopes this striking attire will make drivers slow down. But not everyone has reacted kindly to his safety message.

Mr Burbidge, 75, said: "A couple of people riding motorbikes wave abusive hand signals at me. I'm quite used to this but some drivers do take their foot off the accelerator when they see me.

"A lot of motorists take no notice of the 30mph speed limit through the village there are skid marks all over the place."

The pensioner, who is a lifelong resident of Seend, says he often sees cars travelling at speeds of up to 60mph.

"People have been killed before," he said. "On the road from Melksham to Devizes there is a sign which flashes 30mph which does a marvellous job I just think I'm a walking one of those."

Village residents have grown accustomed to Mr Burbidge's early morning patrol.

Richard Walker, sub postmaster at Seend Post Office, who sells a daily paper to the pensioner, said: "I obviously laughed when he first came through the door wearing it. But I think it's good that somebody is taking this stand because it can be terrifying when a lorry thunders through.

"Joe has always been a man who has worked for the village. He works on the millennium garden and spends his summer planting daffodils in the village."

Staff at Seend primary school have voiced their concerns about the amount of traffic passing through the village and would like to see more footpaths and cycleways.

A spokesman said: "There is an issue with safety on the main road, but most children come into the school through the back way.

"It is nice that someone is being proactive in the village."