ANGRY residents living under the shadow of Preston North End's Deepdale ground are up in arms at the police who they claim, are preventing families getting to and from their homes on match days.

People living in Lowthorpe Road say it is like a "police state" with officers blocking the road whenever North End play at home.

Police shut the road 30 minutes before and after a match in, what officers say, is a policy to separate visiting fans from nearby residents on the grounds of public safety.

But, one family who live on Lowthorpe Road claim police are "too heavy-handed" in their approach and have little sympathy for locals trying to go about their day-to-day business.

Stephen Manley and Tracey Lightfoot-Warren were driving with their two-year-old daughter Samantha during last week's match when an officer refused to let them through.

Stephen blasted: "We are not anti-North End, but when me and my wife tried to return home one Wednesday night during a North End game, an officer said to us 'Turn around and go for a drive for half an hour. I'm not letting you through'."

Stephen said he had never been consulted by either the police or the club about the road blocks.

He went on: "When we signed up for the lease on the house, no one said anything about access restrictions.

"I often get home late, or I have Samantha in the back of the car, so why can't I get in to my own road?"

Fellow resident, Yvonne Norris, agreed.

She said: "I tried to drive home one Saturday afternoon and an officer told me to go and park on Sainsbury's car park because he wasn't going to let me through."

Deepdale councillor Terry Cartwright is taking up the residents' plight. He believes a residents permit scheme would solve the problem.

Inspector Andrew Baxter, North End's match commander, said: "I appreciate residents may get caught up in the situation, but it's not for several hours -- it's for a half hour period either side of the game. It's a safety issue, that's all."

Pictured are Stephen and Tracey with daughter Samantha.