ROAD Safety campaigners in the Forest of Dean are calling for a blanket 40mph speed limit on rural roads in the area.

They say the move is needed because of the increase in collisions with wild boar and other animals.

The Forest of Dean Road Safety Group says tourists and other visitors to the area are more vulnerable because they are less acquainted with wildlife patterns of behaviour.

Richard Leppington, vice chairman of the group, said: “For the first time we are seeing more collisions with wild boar than with deer, which as a worrying trend.

“At the moment the speed limit on most roads is 60mph and people do drive at that speed which is ridiculous. We think 40mph is a much more sensible speed.

“Our campaign is aimed at getting the speed limit lowered by law and also to make people, especially visitors more aware of the risks posed by wildlife.

“We are planning to run an educational campaign to that end and will also be lobbying the relevant authorities about the speed limit including the MP Mark Harper and the county council.

Mr Leppington said that across the board accident statistics were down over the last ten years.

A county council spokesman said any changes in speed limits would be controlled by the authority in consultation with the police.