A BOW man has employed a friend to paint a 15ft diameter 30mph sign on the side of his house to remind motorists of the speed limit.

Tim Backhouse, who moved to the village two years ago, said he hoped the sign - which is larger than the side of a double decker bus - would slow traffic.

He explained: "Over the years Devon County Council's Highways Agency and residents have held discussion about concerns for the safety of pedestrians, especially children, on their way to and from the shop, situated 300 yards to the west of the village.

"Devon Highways is adamant that the road is safe, that visibility is adequate, that there is no need for a crossing point and that any further measures to reduce the speed of vehicles at either end of the village is absolutely unnecessary.

"It stands by its own evidence that speeding vehicles are not a matter for concern in Bow.

"The 30 sign is a temporary mural, coinciding with Road Safety Week (November 21 to 27).

"It intends to remind both motorists and Devon Highways that there is a very real need for concern.

"The large proportion of HGV's coupled with various school run destinations on a pressurised commuter route is a recipe for risk.

"The poor condition of Bow High Street and ever-present speeding vehicles only add to that risk.

"The 30 sign is an invitation for Devon County Council to consider the impact of this risk on Bow residents who, having benefited from the vastly improved access to the shop, still need safe access to that footpath from the west end of the village."

Mr Backhouse, a respected local artist, employed a fellow and similarly highly-regarded local artist, Paul McCullough to paint the mural.

Mr Backhouse has written to Bow Parish Council explaining the reasons for the mural, which he describes as a "temporary art-work".

In his letter he says he hopes the mural or its message does not offend, adding: "It is born solely from the frustration and concern for the safety of local residents and is aimed at both Devon County Council and those motorists, some of them local, who regularly choose to ignore any speed restriction in the village."

He adds that he feels that Bow residents have not been offered satisfactory reasons why it has what he describes as "below standard safety levels" with regard to the disrepair of the road surface in the village.

He said potholes appear regularly along the length of Bow High Street and there was recently a manhole cover problem near Bow Mill Lane.

He says the village also lacks a child-friendly crossing point en route to the shop.

He adds: "All of these factors, combined with speeding vehicles, will surely result in an accident in the near future.

He continues: "I, and others, do strongly believe that our children should be able to walk the length of the village without this risk.

"The intention of the mural is to draw attention to these matters and to remind motorists that Bow is a residential area and that great care should be taken when passing through."

The county council last year built a footpath to the shop, for which Mr Backhouse said residents were grateful.

The council also said its speed checks recorded an average speed of 27.2mph in the 30mph zone.

A spokesman said: "We're aware of concerns about the speed of traffic through the village, and local police have worked with the community on enforcement issues."

Mr Backhouse said he painted the sign as part of Road Safety Week UK and would paint over it on December 5.