PARENTS are once again being asked to put children’s safety first and park safely away from the gates of a Bolton primary school.

Sharples Primary School — in the small cul-de-sac Hugh Lupus Street — has been urging parents not to park in the street for years now so children can be safe when going into and out of school.

Now mums and dads themselves are teaming up and taking a stand in a bid to stop motorists putting children at risk.

The problem became so bad that the school, which has disabled and visually-impaired pupils, contacted The Bolton News and a reporter and photographer went to witness the situation first hand during the morning school run in 2013.

But a small minority of parents still park in the street — some on the double yellow lines — blocking in cars belonging to residents.

Parent Debbie Gornall said: “We have now started a petition, asking people to show support for the campaign to stop cars from parking near the school.

“We have filled quite a few pages, and residents have signed it too. We are hoping this will stop others parents from parking outside the school.

“There have been a few near misses and people have had to bang on the cars as they reverse to stop them.

“These parents are putting children at risk, they have children so we just can’t understand it.

"The local police are in touch with the school as well.”

Mrs Gornall, said that if the weather is good, she will sometimes walk to the school with her children Aimee, aged nine, and Jack, aged 11.

School staff block off the car park with cones for 20 minutes each morning and afternoon so the 225 children can safely enter and leave the school.

Mrs Gornall added: “We would like the council CCTV car to come to the school which would have an impact and deter parents from parking on the double yellow lines — but what we really want is for the parents to stop driving up the road to collect their children.”

Alan Hemmings, headteacher of Sharples Primary, said: “I have worked at this school since 1997 and there has been an ongoing battle in trying to do something about the parking.

“Ninety-nine per cent of our parents park responsibly — there are just a few who do not.

“I am so pleased that parents are actively engaging in this for the safety of children.

“There are more cars and parents do see the very the real threat."