CONCERNED parents are starting a petition for a footpath to make sure their children can walk to football training in safety.

People at Easingwold fear youngsters are being put at risk because they have to walk along a busy road without a path to their club ground in Stillington Road.

About 100 children attend Saturday morning training sessions at Easingwold Football Club. The current footpath stops about 100 metres from the club, leaving children to walk along the busy road.

Concern is mounting that the road could become more dangerous once an industrial estate earmarked for Stillington Road opens. The county council plans to build the footway - but says it is not a top priority and cannot give a date when work might start.

Easingwold Town Council has now added its weight to demands for a path. Councillors have decided to write to the county council, asking it to make it a priority.

Mayor Geoff Ellis said: "Because of the increasing number of children using the football club we consider this dangerous and the county council should consider giving a high priority to putting a footpath there."

Peter Nottage, secretary of the club's junior section, who believes it is only a matter of time before there is an accident on the road, welcomes the council's backing.

He said parents would be starting a petition this weekend. They were also being urged to write to the county council individually.

The footpath is 14th on a list of works for the area.

* The town council is also writing to the county council requesting that the footpath between Stonefield Avenue and the Showfield estate be covered in asphalt rather than loose stones.

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