A head teacher has slammed parents who speed near the school in their cars, saying he fears a child could be run over.

The impassioned plea by Godinton Primary School head Jim Holditch appeared in this month’s newsletter to parents and comes after years of him asking nicely for mums and dads to slow down.

The 500-word piece was penned after school caretaker Peter Smith reported seeing a silver BMW “nearly take off as it went over speed bumps” at the site in Lockholt Close on the Godinton estate.

Mr Holditch, who is known for speaking his mind, said in the letter: “We all know children don’t walk anywhere, they run. We also all know they run without looking or generally being aware of anything around them.

"We were really worried that it was only a matter of time before a child got knocked over by a car manoeuvring in the car park.

“But over the past few mornings, Mr Smith has seen cars obviously being driven by parents who are late for work, and consequently they have sped.

“What is the matter with some of you!?! This is a school.

“Even at 8am, there are children walking around the site, particularly now we have a nursery here as well as our own Breakfast Club.

"If you’re late, tough. Get up earlier. Get yourself sorted. Or just arrive late at work. But don’t drive your car at any speed on this site.

“If you drive like a maniac because you’re late for work, it will only be a matter of time before a child is hurt or, God help us, even worse.”

Mr Holditch said he spent seven years trying to get parents to drive slowly and considerately on the site before resorting to spending thousands of pounds on barriers, to stop vehicles entering the school grounds at certain times of the day, and speed bumps to slow cars down.

But speeding doesn’t only happen on the school site. Parents have been spotted racing up and down Lockholt Close and many feel poor parking also causes problems outside the school.

Last year Mr Holditch spoke out against government plans to provide free meals to all infant school children saying it could force smaller schools to stop offering hot lunches to older pupils.

He also made headlines by volunteering to be soaked by water pistols for charity, dressing as a snowman at a Christmas fair and swapping places with a five-year-old for the day to raise money for school funds.

The head was not in school this week so it hasn’t been possible to find out whether his newsletter appeal has solved the speeding problem.