Police are arming members of the public with a speed gun to help trap drivers who race through their village.

Under the pioneering scheme, volunteers in Ringmer, near Lewes, will report offenders to police who will then send warning letters or target persistent speeders for prosecution.

The scheme, the first of its kind in Sussex, begins on Wednesday.

Ten residents have been trained to use the laser gun and volunteers include an actor, an architect and a retired builder.

They will be wearing fluorescent jackets as they clock motorists breaking the 30mph speed limit.

The volunteers, members of Ringmer Against Drivers Acting Recklessly (RADAR), will be highly visible and police hope their presence alone will make drivers slow down.

Bryn Bridges, RADAR's joint chairman, said: "We want motorists to do us the courtesy of respecting our way of life and obeying the speed limit."

Inspector Steve Long, from the Sussex Police Road Policing Unit, said: "This is an example of an active community working with us to deal with their concerns about local traffic.

"We're providing the training and administrative support that enables local people to run Community Speed Watch and influence motorists' behaviour."

Police officers will survey each speed-check site in advance to ensure volunteers will be clearly visible when working at the roadside.

A force spokesman said Ringmer had not suffered a large number of injury accidents with three slight injury crashes in the three years up to the end of 2002.

He said: "Residents do feel their quality of life is affected by speeding drivers."

Chief Inspector Jim Taylor, Lewes police commander, said: "We have listened to local people's concerns about the main road through Ringmer and we are supporting their speed checks.

"It's one of the ways in which our neighbourhood teams are re-engaging with local communities."

More than 1,600 leaflets have been distributed through the parish's newsletter, asking drivers to sign up to East Sussex County Council's "Kill Your Speed Commitment" campaign.

The County is also planning a week-long programme of road safety education for next month.

Later in the summer police plan to help other areas in Sussex to introduce their own community speed watch schemes. Groups interested should contact Inspector Long on 0845 60 70 999.