The first week of 2019 has seen intensified efforts by police to monitor speeding on an A140 accident hotspot.

Officers from Diss, Harleston and Long Stratton have been taking part in the a national campaign to target 'fatal four' offences: Speeding, using mobile phones while driving, drink and drug driving, and not wearing seatbelts.

On New Year's Day police in Long Stratton arrested a person on suspicion of driving while disqualified. Drugs and cash were found resulting in the driver being taken to the police investigation centre.

On Sunday, January 6, five people were spoken to in an hour and one person reported for not wearing a seatbelt in the South Norfolk village. Another speed enforcement check was carried out on Monday, January 7.

Inspector Jason Selvarajah said the number of drivers caught out would not be revealed, as the number is low and would be disappointing to the public. However he added this is partly due to the fact most drivers slow down when there is a police presence.

He said: 'Probably the biggest community concern in all avenues is speeding, as well as drugs. The A140 in particular is the most complained about 30mph stretch of road. We often get comments from people about it so we target that area.

'With us being there we do have to visible so people do see us and slow down.

'More often than not we don't actually physically catch people but if us being there slows people down we have won that battle.

'My personal view is that the actual result would be disappointing, but slowing people down is a much greater result than sticking on five or six people. Sometimes it's enough just to have words of advice.'

In August 2018 a week long crack down on speeding took place in Norfolk following the deaths of 17 people in crashes throughout the county.

Motorists caught speeding will be issued with a TOR (traffic offence report) and face a fine, points on their licence or even court action. Some drivers can opt to take part in a speed awareness course.

On New Year's Eve Norwich scaffolder and army veteran Anthony Glover was killed in a car crash one mile north of Long Stratton on the A140, near to where 17-year-old Shannon Gittings died a crash in October.