A parish council, investigating road safety on the busy A65 road at Chelker, is asking residents to share information about hazards at the scenic spot.

The action of Draughton Parish Council comes amid calls for safety measures on the 60mph limit road, which runs alongside Chelker Reservoir.

In May, a Land Rover plunged into the water and left local driver Denise Hirst struggling to keep her 88-year-old mother’s head above water.

The council is also asking police for more detailed road accident statistics after council figures showed six accidents resulting in personal injury between 2007 and last month.

There have been calls from some quarters for a safety barrier along the length of the road next to the reservoir.

Another car is known to have gone into the water after leaving the road in a separate incident and a Toyota ended up on its roof on the A65 near the reservoir in September last year.

Residents and motorists who regularly use the road are concerned there may have been more accidents, as well as near-misses, which are not being taken into account by council decision-makers.

The parish council is now keen to see fuller statistics from North Yorkshire Police, including accidents which resulted in damage to vehicles but no injuries to drivers or passengers.

And members are inviting comments from villagers to help build up a better picture of local concerns.

A spokesman for Draughton Parish Council said: “Following the Hirsts’ car accident at Chelker in May this year, the parish council is looking into issues of road safety along this stretch of the A65.

“If you have any comments or have any experiences to share, please get in touch with us.”

To contact the council, visit draughton.org