A PIONEERING plan which could put speed guns in the hands of Menston villagers is being held up while police look into the feasibility and safety of the scheme.

Divisional commander of Keighley Police, Chief Supt Graham Sunderland, has given his backing to plans for a 'Speedwatch' somewhere in the division - but says the scheme is still on the drawing board.

Menston people have been keen to wield the laser guns in their battle against speeding motorists on village roads, since they were told about the idea by Bingley Police's Problem Orientated Policing (POP) Team, at a neighbourhood forum earlier this year.

Chief Supt Sunderland said: "I'm the first to support any community initiatives, particularly with the use of volunteers.

"All such schemes must first be the subject of stringent planning conditions and unfortunately, it will not be implemented over-night."

Several Speedwatches have been set up around the country, but the initiative is yet to be launched in West Yorkshire.

Residents are instructed how to use the cameras, and can be deployed to back up police work by spotting and identifying speeding drivers on village roads.

A police spokeswoman said: "We are still at the very early stages of looking at whether it would be feasible to use community volunteers to assist in traffic calming measures with speed laser guns.

"Legal and health and safety implications would have to be taken into account, but this scheme is used in other areas. We are currently researching the feasibility of piloting this in the Keighley Division."

Menston Community Associ-ation chairman, Roger Tully, said the association would itself promote the Speedwatch, and recruit volunteers if police went ahead with the idea.

He said: "I think it's a great idea, but we haven't heard any more about it."

Mr Tully hopes to invite Chief Supt Sunderland to the next Menston Neighbourhood Forum in June, to discuss village traffic problems, including speeding motorists, and new ways of police liaising with members of the public.

Members of Pool Parish Council have also expressed an interest in the speed guns, which they feel could aid villagers' efforts to slow down the traffic on the busy A658 as it passes through Pool.