Crusading campaigners angry at the failure of highways bosses to put up signs on a dangerous stretch of road drew up their own safety notices.

They decided to take matters into their own hands after father-of-two Nick Awcock, 47, died on the A23 northbound by The Castle Inn, Hickstead.

Mr Awcock's friends and colleagues at Flotronic Pumps on the Ricebridge Works industrial estate in Brighton Road, Bolney, near Haywards Heath, created a roadblock at the death spot after the engineer died last month.

People are so upset that nothing has been done since Mr Awcock's death that four 'No overtaking' warning signs were put up on the stretch.

It is not known who put up the signs.

By today three of the signs had been taken down.

But Jane Wheatley, manager at Flotronic Pumps, says something needs to be done on the stretch.

She said: "Almost everyone who works round here has had at least one near miss on that road.

"People assume it's a single way slip road but it's actually a two way road. So on several occasions I've been faced with a car coming from the other direction on the wrong side of the road.

"I've known people drive onto the verge to avoid a collision. I'm always thinking about my escape route when I'm on that road.

"The signage is terrible. I'm not surprised people don't know what they're doing."

It is not the first action the residents have taken.

More than 60 people turned up to protest the day after the death of Mr Awcock.

They used cones to create a roadblock at the death spot in an attempt to slow motorists down.

Mr Awcock, from Parklands Road, Hassocks, was killed when his Suzuki GSF 600 motorcycle collided with a van coming in the opposite direction on October 11 after working an overtime shift.

He left his wife Sharon and their two children.

Gordon Leicester organised the roadblock.

He said: "It was a very surreal and emotional day.

"We've all had to mount the curb on that road at some point and it felt like a tragedy that could have happened to any one of us."

Business contractor Steven Blackwell, 52, who lives nearby, said: "Two weeks ago my wife and I were on the road when a car came into our lane and was heading straight for us.

"My wife panicked and I had to lean across and flash the lights in the hope they would see in time."

This week more than 200 people had signed a petition asking for the Highways Agency to do something about the stretch.

Mrs Wheatley added: "I've written to the Highways Agency asking them to either mark the centre of the road with white lines, put a speed limit in place or improve the signs. I really hope I hear from them soon because I think another accident will happen soon."

A Highways Agency spokeswoman said: "There are no plans to alter the layout of the road at present. Our records show that prior to the accident in October, there have been two slight incidents at this location between 2002 and 2005. Neither of these involved vehicles driving on the wrong side of the road. However, we are happy to listen to the concerns of local residents."

Have you signed the petition or had a near miss on the stretch of road? Tell us your stories below.