SCHOOLCHILDREN are being put in danger because parents are parking illegally outside a primary school, a councillor has warned.

Councillor Gerald Lee said motorists were flouting strict traffic orders outside Heighington CE Primary School and posing a serious accident risk by leaving their vehicles on the brow of a hill in Redworth Road.

Parents have previously been given a charter, which bans parking on Redworth Road and instead urges an informal one-way system around Highside Road and a drop-off point close to the school's entrance in Hopelands.

However, Coun Lee, ward member for Heighington, said despite constant reminders and numerous complaints, drivers were continuing to disobey the charter, which was put together a number of years ago by Coun Lee and worried parents.

He said: "Drivers are putting the lives of other parents and their children at risk by making them drive towards a blind hill summit and into oncoming cars, wagons and buses.

"This could easily result in a head-on accident and not many adults walk away from these, so imagine what could happen to a child."

Coun Lee said the situation was improved when Heighington Parish Council built and paid for a new car park for parents to use on the school run.

However, he said he still had concerns over parents who refused to abide by the parking charter.

He said: "I know I'm not making myself popular when I confront parents parking on yellow lines, but I do it for the safety of the children.

"The one-way system is not mandatory but does make a positive difference to road safety.”