WHEN a whole community gets together to tackle a problem, it is already half-way to being solved.

Villagers in Chew Moor, between Lostock and Westhoughton, have taken to the roadside armed with speed guns to monitor motorists driving too fast through this residential area.

There has been a large amount of building to either side of this normally sleepy little village in the past decade, and it has become a much busier route than it once was as drivers use it as a through-route to Horwich or to avoid main roads.

Chew Moor has one main street through it and there are already speed humps and well-displayed speed limits, but some people are daft enough to ignore both.

There are now many more families with young children than there were - not to mention older people or just those who occasionally might like to cross the road without the fear of being mown down.

One resident, Denis Kirkman, came up with the idea of monitoring the problem with speed guns and now volunteers are carrying out a month-long survey to gather evidence to pass on to police.

It is likely that any motorist spotting a person holding a speed gun eases off the pedal, but let's hope that they also learn a lesson about speed - and about People Power.

Life improves in areas as soon as everyone bands together to take positive action, simply because they speak with one voice and it is far harder to defeat concerted groups than pick off individuals.

Residents in other areas of the borough might take note of the Chew Moor champions - whether their local problem is speeding motorists or drunken yobs.

When people stand up to be counted and actively offer to help the police, communities are automatically better places to live for everyone.

It's a simple equation that works.