Youngsters living on a residential road have designed colourful posters in a bid to get motorists to slow down.

There were 14 entries in the contest in Wilson Street, Stalham, which was organised by resident Julie Bawtree, 61.

Mrs Bawtree said the contest was prompted by three incidents over the summer school holidays where children had been at risk of being hurt due to near-misses with cars.

North Norfolk News: Isla Macon, 8, (left) was the winner of the Wilson Road, Stalham, road safety poster contest. Third pace went to Pippa Hilton, 5 (right).Isla Macon, 8, (left) was the winner of the Wilson Road, Stalham, road safety poster contest. Third pace went to Pippa Hilton, 5 (right). (Image: Stuart Anderson)

She said: "We owe it to our children, other pedestrians, and our pets to mitigate that risk, so the neighbourhood launched a 'reduce your speed' campaign for Wilson Road.

"In the absence of any traffic calming or traffic furniture - as promised by the developer, Hopkins Homes - we set the children a competition challenge to design their own road safety signs."

North Norfolk News: Sadie Hyde, 4, is one of the youngsters who live along Wilson Road in Stalham. She is pictured with Julie Bawtree, 61, who organised the safety poster competition.Sadie Hyde, 4, is one of the youngsters who live along Wilson Road in Stalham. She is pictured with Julie Bawtree, 61, who organised the safety poster competition. (Image: Stuart Anderson)

Posters by Ellie Prince, second, and Pippa Hilton, five, came second and third in the competition, which was judged by Matthew Taylor, North Norfolk district councillor for Stalham, Sutton and Catfield ward.

Isla Macon, eight, whose design featured a sloth, was named the winner.

Mrs Bawtree added: "This, coupled with a petition to the council - the road's adoption is imminent - the campaign's aim is to reduce speeds significantly, making the area safer.

"Now is the time to act before a child is injured."

Ms Bawtree said that although the speed limit was 20mph, even this seemed too fast for the road.

North Norfolk News: Youngsters looking at the safety posters submitted in the competition.Youngsters looking at the safety posters submitted in the competition. (Image: Stuart Anderson)

The road is part of the Broadbeach Gardens estate, built by Hopkins Homes. Although the development is more than five years old, its roads have not yet been adopted by the county council.

Mr Taylor said he was delighted so many children had got involved and designed their own posters.

He said: "It's a lesson for the future. As they get older they're be more likely to get involved in community events.

"The residents when they bought houses here thought they were moving somewhere where the road would be pedestrianised and that hasn't been the case.

"Once these final few thing are done, it can be adopted by the county council and hopefully we can get some action taken on that."