A planned school crossing has suffered fresh delays even after funding was found for it.

Last month Res, the firm building a new windfarm on the Dengie, pledged to subsidise a new crossing outside Ormiston Rivers Academy, in Southminster Road, Burnham.

However, it is now claimed Essex County Council is taking too long to draw up blueprints for the crossing. Res, which will soon start construction of Turncole Windfarm in The Marshes, Southminster, has agreed to stump up £45,000 because delivery lorries will be using the route.

County Hall had previously agreed the crossing was necessary, but said no funding was available until next April.

But after being told there was still no set date for the crossing completion, mother Lisa Drury, 36, of Glebe Way, in Burnham, claimed the council was putting finance and bureaucracy before child safety.