A crackdown on speeding motorists will get underway in Marlow this month due to popular demand, with safety around schools a police priority.

With an unprecedented surge in volunteers for the police’s Community Speedwatch scheme, Marlow officers plan to carry out a series of operations across town in February.

Sergeant Robin Hughes told the Free Press the crackdown will include a mixture community-led speed checks and police enforcement after residents voiced their concern.

He said: "There will be a big push over the next month on speeding.

"We took out foot of over the Christmas period because of other activities, but all areas, urban and rural we’ll be looking at Speedwatch and enforcement.

"Marlow is not any worse than many other areas for speeding, but our population want it, and if they want it we’re going to give it to them."

An enforcement operation before Christmas saw 65 drivers issued with tickets in one morning alone.

And one motorist was clocked at 57mph near a Marlow Infant School, labelled "outrageous" by Sgt. Hughes.

Around 20 volunteers have come forward for Community Speedwatch, which sees residents operate speed guns alongside police.

Drivers clocked driving over the limit will then be sent a warning letter and put on a database with a three-strike system before police action is taken.

Marlow’s top policeman Inspector Scott Messenger said the uptake from residents has been huge and the operations could spring up anywhere across town.

He said: "We have lots of volunteers, almost more than we need. Almost to the extent where we struggle to get officers and devices to over the demand. But we’d much rather have it that way.

"We tend to concentrate on the areas with the greatest threat, harm and risk, old people’s homes, schools, but not exclusively, we will widen the net to any area."

The Marlow neighbourhood team will also be on the lookout for drivers using mobile phones at the wheel - an offence which carries a fine and three licence points.