RESIDENTS of a Ryedale village are appealing for motorists to slow down and take more care after a car crashed into a stone wall – only three weeks after it had been rebuilt following an earlier crash.

It is estimated there may have been up to 20 separate incidents and accidents in different parts of Great Barugh during the past two decades.

Margaret Dalby, who lives in a former chapel at Great Barugh with her husband Brian, said: “Our wall had only been rebuilt three weeks ago when someone came around the corner on Saturday and knocked it down again.”

The wall is in front of their home, Orchard House, which they bought in 1978, and is on a corner at the bottom of a steep hill on the road between the village and Marton.

She reckons there has been a wall there for around 40 years or more.

The wall was knocked over last October by a car, but the Dalbys’ insurers asked for three estimates before giving the go-ahead for it to be rebuilt.

“It all took some time to sort out, so it was not finished until about three weeks ago,” she said.

On both occasions, the cars involved had come from the direction of Kirkbymoorside.

“Too many cars and other vehicles come through far too fast,” she added.

“We want them to slow down for their own safety and to avoid accidents to themselves and people here,” she said.

Mr Dalby said it had cost £3,600 to rebuild the wall, and this was covered by their insurance.

Villagers have previously complained that a 30mph sign near the Dalby’s house is in the wrong place and should be moved to a spot west of the nearby junction with Brawby, as many motorists do not realise there is a speed restriction until they are in the village.

Over the years, a list of 17 incidents in different parts of the village involving cars and motorbikes has been compiled. It includes cars running into trees, a motorcycle crashing into a parked lorry and a wooden fence being knocked down.

A county council highways department official attended the parish council’s recent annual meeting to hear the concerns of the residents.

Peter Milner, chairman of Great and Little Barugh Parish Council, said: “Regular drivers through the village consistently break the 30mph limit and many drive in excess of 50mph in both directions.

“Drivers of commercial vehicles and coaches have been reported to their companies for exceeding the speed limit on a regular basis.”