Villagers have plumped for humps to be built in a bid to halt speeding cars.

Residents in Thornton were split by two alternative proposals aimed at slowing down traffic in Market Street.

But they have now voted decisively in favour of having six 3in high 5ft wide speed cushions installed in the narrow one-way street in the centre of the village.

At the last Thornton Neighbourhood Forum there was heated debate over the rival schemes.

Opponents of the humps said they would not be in keeping with the village and favoured the idea of creating a chicane instead by widening the existing pavements in places. More than 200 names were collected in support of the chicane option but it has been rejected by a margin of two to one in a postal ballot.

Of the 580 ballot forms sent out, only 131 were returned. Eighty-seven were in favour of the speed cushions, 41 opted for the chicane and three were spoiled.

Councillor Derek Kettlewell (Lab, Thornton), who was originally in favour of the chicane, said he accepted the verdict of the ballot and hoped everyone else would too.

"Two to one is a reasonably clear outcome and I hope people will accept the result. There were strong feelings on both sides," he said.

"We will end up with a safer Market Street, which is the bottom line for everybody."

Councillor Clive Richardson (Con, Thornton), who helped Coun Kettlewell in overseeing the counting of votes, said he was happy that both schemes would do away with the present limited waiting to allow unlimited parking.

The result of the ballot will be confirmed by the next neighbourhood forum meeting at 7.30pm on September 15 at Thornton Community Centre.

The speed cushions to be built in Market Street are similar to those in Rhodesway, Allerton.

They will be made of tarmac, with a white painted triangle on each and work on them will be carried out by the end of the current financial year.

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