Darwen pupils draw battle lines over illegal parking (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Darwen pupils draw battle lines over illegal parking

10:29am Friday 20th February 2009 in Belthorn By Catherine Pye, Health reporter

SIGN: Actress Shobna Gulati presents Cameron Holt with his prize bike, with Twin Valley Homes’ Janet Fishwick

CHILDREN have taken a stand against dangerous and illegal parking outside their school gates.

Concerned pupils entered a competition to design a road safety banner to be displayed outside every school in Darwen.

The winner came from Cameron Holt, 11, of Belthorn Primary School, and delivers the slogan ‘Parking on lines gives you fines’.

The competition was organised by the Neighbourhood Policing Team working with Twin Valley Homes, Darwen Neighbourhood boards and Lloyds Trust as part of a wider crackdown on illegal parking outside schools.

PCSO Leigh-anne McCool said: “Parking on zigzags is dangerous and the competition was intended to remind motorists that they should not only be responsible in the way they park, but they should be especially vigilant when children are around.”

Former Coronation Street star Shobna Gulati, who played Sinita Alahan, presented a bike to Cameron as his prize when she opened the Discover Darwen event in the town centre yesterday.

The bicycle prize was donated by Ewood Cycles, and the runners-up received free passes to the artificial skating rink.