A YOUNG girl in Dorset received a special visit from police after she wrote to them about speeding motorists outside her home.

Scarlet Fontana, nine, was visited by officers from the Dorset Police 'No Excuse' team and Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill at her home in Corfe Castle.

Scarlet wrote to police when she became concerned about motorists flouting the 30mph speed limit as they drove along her road.

She wrote: "The majority of drivers speed past my bedroom window extremely fast.

"I think it is just luck nobody has been killed on this road before.

"In October 2015, a horrible crash happened outside my bedroom window at night after a speeding car hit a parked car.

"There were ambulances and police outside my house and I sat in my bedroom and prayed everyone would be ok and not die."

The team visited Scarlet and gave the entire family road safety advice, as well as allowing the children to look inside the speed camera vehicle.

They also handed out luminous 'No Excuse' backpacks and assorted merchandise.

On the day of their visit, officers conducted stop checks on the road and caught one offender.

Sergeant Stu Pitman, from the ‘No Excuse’ team, said that they will "continue to be vigilant" in the area.

Scarlet's mother, Simone Fontana, now plans to set up a Community Speed Watch (CSW) scheme, supported by police.

Mr Underhill said: "It is great to see Scarlet taking an active interest in road safety issues at such a young age.

"During 2015, a person died on a Dorset road every two weeks so it is vital we make road policing a priority.

"We have stepped up patrols in the area and encouraged residents to set up a CSW, to be the eyes and ears on the ground to report back on poor driving behaviour."

Dorset Police’s road safety operations manager Brian Austin said: "Whilst we receive many letters from the public highlighting areas of road safety concern, it is very rare that we receive letters from young children of ‘nine and three quarters’.

"We commend Scarlet for her maturity in writing to us in regards to an issue that Dorset Police takes extremely seriously."

If you have any road safety concerns, please email dorsetroadsafe@dorset.pnn.police.uk with the details.