Motorists caught speeding through Oxfordshire villages during the past two mornings could escape the usual £60 fine and three penalty points.

Under a one-off scheme, Thames Valley Police is offering offending drivers a chance to see the error of their ways at 'speed awareness classes'.

Traffic officers, together with Oxfordshire County Council, targeted specific stretches of road - chosen because they were either accident hot-spots or the subject of complaints from residents.

Yesterday, checks were carried out on the A4260 at Deddington and Hempton Road, Deddington, and on Bicester Road and Oxford Road, Kidlington, at Lower Heyford and Middle Barton, at 7am today.

Anyone caught marginally breaking the 30mph and 40mph limits during the two rush-hour sessions were offered the choice of accepting a £60 fine and three penalty points or attending a speed awareness evening class at Kirtlington Village Hall, near Bicester, on Tuesday, August 14.

Drivers caught driving at excessive speeds were not offered the option.

Road casualty reduction officer Pc Colin Robey said: "On this occasion, we have chosen to promote driver education in the hope that it will change attitudes to speeding.

"We want to encourage drivers to cut their speed, particularly on country roads where most collisions occur."

Statistics show that children are more likely to be involved in road accidents during the summer when they play outside unsupervised.

During the past three years in Oxfordshire, 28 child pedestrian and cyclist injury accidents were recorded during January, 30 in March, 39 in November and 23 in December, compared with 55 in May, 44 in June and 56 in July.

Ian Harris, principal road safety officer for Oxfordshire County Council, will give a presentation to motorists who attend the awareness class.