Bolton is one of five hotspots for speeding to be targeted by a Community Speedwatch scheme launched by Greater Manchester Police (GMP).

Residents are to be trained to record the details of anti-social drivers on their roads and to report them to the police to take action accordingly.

On Monday, on a sleepy street in High Lane, on the border of Derbyshire and Greater Manchester, the Community Speedwatch scheme was launched by GMP in the presence of Chief Inspector Ronnie Neilson and Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester Kate Green.

Chief Inspector Neilson, of the GMP Safer Transport Team, said the involvement of the community in five hotspots for speeding (Bolton, Manchester, Stockport, Tameside, Wigan) is "common sense".

The Bolton News: The launch of Community Speedwatch

Chief Inspector Neilson said: "Speed is an issue all across our roads and it is a factor we have to tackle as it is a factor in almost all our collisions.

"The community backing the work we are doing is common sense. It is how we work together to solve the problem."

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Residents are to be trained to record the details of anti-social drivers on their roads including the make and model, the registration and the speed.

The police are able to send warning letters to one-time offenders and Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) letters to repeat offenders as a result.

The Bolton News: The launch of Community Speedwatch

Deputy Mayor Ms Green said: "It is an education programme, not an enforcement programme, but it is good to get local volunteers who are willing to collect the information to help to educate the drivers.

"We would like it all over Greater Manchester. We would like any local group which is interested to get in touch and we can see if we can support them to get a local group started."

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Alan James, a resident of High Lane and a volunteer on its Community Speedwatch scheme, said abuse and aggression towards him and others is not common but not unheard of.

Mr James told The Bolton News one offender told a volunteer "I know where you live".

Ms Green said: "There is absolutely no reason whatsoever for people to be abusive to local volunteers who are helping us to keep our streets safe.

"They won't be recording any information about you if you are obeying the speed limit."

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.