A HEAD TEACHER is calling for improved road safety measures after a Year One pupil was almost knocked down.

Vicky Axon, head at St Nicholas’ CofE Primary, said roadworks near the Church school were putting pupils at risk as they made their way in.

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It comes after a pupil in one of the junior classes was crossing at the lights, which are not working, at the junction of Dill Hall Lane and Dunkenhalgh Way and had a “near miss” with a truck.

Mrs Axon said she believed motorists waiting in the queues of traffic caused by the Pennine reach works were making people agitated, causing them to make a U-turn and then make their way through the crossing.

She said: “It is very dangerous. The roadworks are causing quite a bit of a backlog and people are getting impatient. In the latest case, a black pickup truck did a U-turn and went through the crossing.

“As they did, they just missed a Year One child.”

The boy involved was not hurt, but Mrs Axon said something needed to be done before anybody was seriously injured.

She added: “This is not the first time something like this has happened. There was a similar incident last week involving a boy of the same age and another involving two children who were walking home on their own.

“We have spoken to the police and Lancashire County Council to alert them to the problem and to see if something can be done.”

Cllr Peter Britcliffe, opposition leader of Hyndburn Council, said he would be contacting the county council to urge them to take action.

He said: “I think the highways department needs to have a look at this area and sort this problem out before an accident happens because then it will be far too late.”

A spokesman for the county council said a crossing patrol was in place.

He said: “There is increased congestion in this area at the moment due to the work to improve the junction of Henry Street and Blackburn Road as part of the Pennine Reach scheme.

“We’re doing our best to keep delays to a minimum but we’d ask drivers to be patient and take extra care.

The work is due to be finished in early June.