Residents claim "boy racers'' have turned their road into a death trap and are demanding urgent action to prevent someone being killed or seriously injured.

Families in Woodend Road, Lower Hopton, Mirfeld, want speed humps installed along the road, most of which is private and unadopted and only wide enough for one car, with no pavement on either side.

Housewife Suzannah Bailey, who is spearheading the fight, fears for the safety of her two children, Chelsea, seven, and Kurtis, three.

She said: "Some drivers and motorcyclists use the road like a racing track. They go flying up and down like lunatics.

"Most of the bike riders are children with no helmets and sometimes carrying more than one passenger.

"There have been a number of accidents in which a car or motorbike has ended up in a garden or smashed into a garden wall.

"I have to use the road a lot to get to fields to feed my two horses. I've lost count of the number of times I've had to pin myself against the fence to let a speeding car pass.''

Neighbour Gary Peacock said: "I've put up a steel post because I got so fed up of cars smashing into my garden wall and damaging it.''

Mrs Bailey said the road was popular with people walking their dogs, cyclists, ramblers and families out on walks.

She said the final straw came when her daughter was left heartbroken after her cat was run over and killed in the road.

It prompted the residents to send a petition to Kirklees Council, contact Dewsbury and Mirfield MP Ann Taylor and Councillor David Sheard (Lab, Mirfield).

But Mrs Bailey said: "The Council can't do anything because it is a private road but we are hoping the owners will put down speed humps."

There is a question mark over the ownership of the road but it could be Hopton-based haulage firm Patterson's Tankers.

Managing director Sarah Battye said: "We are checking our legal position. Although we have right of way over the road we are not sure if we are the owners.

"We have held discussions with the Council and the police about the traffic problems and indicated we wish to make some contribution to making the road safer. It might mean putting down speed humps.''

Council highways officer Tracey Brewer said: "Woodend Road is a private, unadopted road with only a small section being residential and the rest leading through fields.''

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