A PRIMARY school's staff and pupils will join in a demonstration against the axing of the school crossing patrol service on Tuesday.

Staff from Sherdley Primary School in Sutton will join children and members of the community in a protest walk.

Councillors had agreed to axe the non-statutory service in October 2017 from August of this year, citing budget pressures.

A petition including more than 1,600 signatures is to be handed in opposing the removal of the patrol service on Mill Lane.

Campaigners are highlighting that Mill Lane, which they describe as "a busy B road and acts as a thoroughfare for HGVs".

They stress that it is "the only route for many children from Sherdley Primary School, Eaves Lane Primary School and The Sutton Academy to travel to and from school by foot".

They say, that while accepting that responsibility of a child’s safety on a journey to and from school lies with parents or carers, that they feel "unable to fulfil this responsibility whilst crossing this road unaided".

Referring to a council risk assessment which found that no accidents have occurred at designated crossing patrol sites in the last five years during school hours, campaigners stress they believe this is due to them having been previously manned sites.

Sherdley Primary School governor Kirsty Farrelly said: "As a community we are passionate about the safety of our children and strongly believe that funding should be prioritised to ensure this.

"We appreciate that cuts need to be made due to budgetary pressures but believe that the cuts are being made in the wrong places by local government.

"We don't accept the risk assessment that there have been no accidents at this site during school hours as this is entirely due to the fact that it has always had a School Crossing Patrol.

"Without such safety measures it is only a matter of time before there is an injury or fatality on that road and we are not prepared to sit back and wait for that to happen."

Councillors expressed sadness at making the decision last autumn, but emphasised that child safety is parents' responsibility and said the decision will alert urged drivers to take more care on the road.

The council said appropriate consultation was to carried out with affected staff in accordance with the council’s employment policies.