AN 11-year-old boy got a standing ovation at a council meeting after delivering an impassioned speech about road safety near his school.

Oliver Rhodes handed a petition to councillors calling for a host of safety measures outside Keelham Primary, near Denholme.

He said cars and lorries often sped past the school, causing a danger to children, parents and staff, but he had been told safety measures were not deemed a priority because there had not been enough serious accidents.

He said: “My school and community is in effect being told that a life or lives must be sacrificed before something is done. This is not acceptable.”

Joining him to hand in the petition were fellow school pupils, teachers and family members.

Councillors passed the matter to Bradford West and Shipley area committees to investigate further.

Outside the meeting, Oliver’s mum Sarah Rhodes said she had been more nervous than her son.

She said: “Everybody can’t believe somebody this age can do something like that but Oliver’s just taken it in his stride.”

The youngster has also spent a day shadowing MP Philip Davies, whose Shipley constituency includes Cullingworth and Denholme.

Oliver said he wanted to become an MP and his time with Mr Davies had made him even more determined.

He was given his own agenda for the day by Mr Davies' staff.

Oliver met Yorkshire Water and Yorkshire Building Society staff and went along to Beckfoot School in Bingley where House of Commons speaker John Bercow was meeting pupils.