MYSTERY surrounds the identity of organisers behind a large petition received by Christchurch council and unless officers discover who they are they cannot keep them informed over the progress of their calls for action.

Nearly 250 residents living in Amethyst Road in Somerford have signed the petition asking for traffic calming measures to be introduced in their street.

But the petition is news both to the ward councillors and the local residents association, who say that they first heard about it when they read the council agenda.

No one involved with the petition was at the council meeting on Tuesday to officially present it, and members simply referred it without debate to the next community services committee.

Mary Parsa, committee clerk, said: "We received the petition without a letter saying who'd instigated it, and it's been signed by an awful lot of people.

"Normally I would now write to the petition organiser to tell them that the matter is going to community services.

"But I can't do that because who do I write to? I appeal for the person to contact me."

Julie Petrie, chairman of the Friends and Residents of the Grange, said that she's disappointed no one contacted them about the petition.

"I like to think that people would approach us over something like this. We know nothing about it," she said.

Grange ward councillor John Campbell said: "This was done quite outside the knowledge of the ward councillors and has come completely out of the blue."

And he added: "My fellow ward councillor John Freeman is also nonplussed about it. But it must be a strongly felt sentiment because of the number of Amethyst Road residents who signed it."

If you organised the petition or know who did, please contact Mary at the Civic Offices on 01202 495050.

First published: December 19