SPEEDING motorists are putting children at risk by driving dangerously through a South Lakes village.

That was the message from pupils at Levens CE Primary School as they hosted a special debate on the topic, attended by South Lakes MP Tim Farron and local councillor Annie Rawlinson.

The children have been taking part in the 20’s plenty campaign, which seeks to reduce the speed limit to 20mph on residential areas.

Miles Robinson and Isaac Higgins, both 10 and from Levens, took part in the debate and had a strong message to anyone speeding.

“You should slow down, because one day you are going to kill somebody and you are going to regret it for the rest of your life,” they said.

Head teacher Jane Farraday said the children had been working with local PC Jayne Park to learn about how to walk safely around the village.

Mrs Farraday said: “It was then the children realised how unsafe the village is due to speeding drivers. As a result they have made posters to go around the village, written to our parish council and held a debate in school on this issue.”

Mr Farron joined in the event to observe the debate, which saw the school hall transformed into the House of Commons. He also admired the students’ work on addressing the speeding and traffic issues.

“Tim was impressed with the way the children conducted themselves in the debate and how we had set out our hall to look like the Houses of Parliament," she said. "He also liked our Mr Speaker, who he said did a far better job than the one in the House of Commons.”

Mr Farron also took part in a question and answer session, where children asked questions about issues around immigration, infant school meals, the EU referendum and specific questions about his job and how he became inspired to be a MP.

He said afterwards: “Annie and I had a fantastic visit to Levens Primary School. We discussed the role of both local and national politics, and it was good to hear the students’ views. The pupils showed great enthusiasm for their projects, in particular the work they had been doing about speeding. It was wonderful to see how much the students cared about their community, and their determination to make a positive difference.”

Mrs Farraday added: “The children have got so much from this project because they feel so passionately about trying to make a difference to their village before an accident happens and someone gets hurt.”