A POLICE speed check operation in the centre of Porlock this week sparked controversy on social media with residents.

PCSOs Zack Howe and Linda Brooks were in High Street after they said concerns had been expressed by local people.

The top speed of any vehicle they recorded during the session was 17 mph.

PCSO Howe said: “We are happy to say that nobody was speeding through the village while we were in the area.”

But villagers expressed anger that police were directing efforts toward traffic but seemed reluctant to investigate when thousands of pounds of tools were reported stolen from trade vans.

One social media comment on the subject was later removed, while another commented that daytime police meetings with the public should be moved to the evening because ‘we have to work during the day to earn the ££ to replace the tools that are stolen’.

Another resident, Lyn Davis, said she was ‘flummoxed’ as to why police were checking speeds in a location which already had traffic calming in the form of parking outside the shops.

Ms Davis said it would be better to monitor traffic from Doverhay going towards Minehead because it was traffic going both ways out of the village that regularly broke the speed limit.

Jane Varneckas said: “It takes over 20 minutes to get through the actual village from the Top Ship to Meadowhayes during visitor season.

“I am astonished you chose bang slap in the middle of this area as the place to speed check.”

She said Redway was more of a problem with cars and motorcycles driving fast and overtaking tractors and other farm vehicles with no visibility of oncoming traffic.

The issue of traffic speeds in Porlock has prompted the parish council to agree to press for a community-funded 20 mph zone and to set up a working group which includes residents to gather data on the issue.