Imaginative parents today vowed they will manage to raise £11,000 for a school crossing at their children's school.

The parents association at Buttsbury Infants School in Perry Street, Billericay, has rolled up its sleeves and is ready to fight all the way to get a crossing installed on the busy stretch of road. Their campaign comes after Basildon Council knocked back appeals for funding last year.

The association responded by raising deposit money for work to start in May and is now just over a quarter of the way to the total with around £3,000 raised so far.

Graham Martin, chairman of Buttsbury infants PA, said there had been no crossing patrol on Perry Street for almost two years.

He said: "In the morning cars park along the road and we didn't want to wait until an accident happened."

Parents believe a crossing will ease traffic congestion and slow cars down. Mr Martin added: "The vast majority of people say we shouldn't be paying for it but we feel we have no alternative."

The PTA has been backed all the way by neighbouring Buttsbury Junior School and with donations from local churches, community groups and businesses. A recent "black and white" day fundraiser, in which pupils dressed up in zebra colours, raised nearly £1,000.

Sheila Roscoe, year one co-ordinator at Buttsbury, said the parents had been fantastic.

She added: "If something is needed they are very good at thinking of ways of bringing it to the school. This is a big community effort."

A spokesman for Basildon Council said it supported any effort which would enhance services in the town. He added: "It has to be maintained and installed by us - we are delighted with the efforts being put in by the parents at the school."

The crossing is expected to be completed by the summer.

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One step forward - parents association members cross Perry Street outside Buttsbury Infants School where there will soon be a special crossing for their children after fundraising efforts

Picture: MAXINE CLARKE

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.