BURY has been given a £300,000 boost to protect people, especially children, from traffic dangers.

The Government grant has come from the "Dealing with Disadvantage" scheme and will be spent on improving several aspects of road safety.

Figures show that children from the most deprived areas are five times more likely to be injured in road accidents than those from more affluent areas.

Bury will spend the money over the next three years on four priorities: road safety education, safer routes to schools, better pedestrian facilities, and safe play areas, such as Ball Zones, which help keep youngsters off the streets.

The borough will also share in a £3.5 million grant to a central team in Manchester for area-wide projects.

Mr Mike Cannon, borough engineer, said the council would soon hold talks with the Government over where precisely the money should be spent. He said one area could be Heywood Street in Bury, where there is a high accident rate.

Announcing the funding, transport secretary Alistair Darling said: "This money will do a great deal to improve road safety. Too many children are killed and injured on the roads and we are committed to reducing that number."