The Kettering South West Safer Community Team turned its attention to Gipsy Lane in the town, after families living in the street raised their concerns.

On Wednesday, seven fixed penalty notices were issued in just 40 minutes, with drivers receiving a £60 fine and three points on their licence.

Ruth Tilton, of Gipsy Lane, said: "I do sympathise with drivers because it is hard to stick to 30mph but in the evenings some of them go really fast.

"It's not residents – it's other people using Gipsy Lane as a rat run. They come screaming down the road and then slam on their brakes near the junction.

"I have to be so careful when I'm crossing the road because you don't know how fast they're going to come round the corner.

"I fully support any initiatives to tackle speeding drivers on this road.

"There needs to be one of those big red 30mph signs on the road, rather than speed bumps."

Mrs Tilton said that on one occasion, there was an accident involving a car which skidded down the road, overturned and knocked down her neighbour's wall, although she did not know if that was as a result of speeding.

She added: "This is supposed to be a quiet, residential street but we get speeding drivers every night."

Sgt Paul Wade, from the safer community team, said: "Speed limits are imposed for safety and we cannot highlight the dangers of speeding enough.

"We intend to take positive action and anyone found speeding will have to deal with the consequences."

Speeding is one of the safer community team's three priorities, along with rowdy youths on the Whiteford estate and dog fouling on the Highfield estate.

A survey carried out in recent weeks by a traffic management team clocked one driver doing 82mph along Gipsy Lane.