Young children on a Rushden housing estate face danger every time they go out to play.  This grim warning comes from a young Rushden mother, Mrs. Simone Evans, who wants a zebra crossing on Irchester Road.

  “There has already been one accident when a young girl was injured.  The road is straight and fast, and cars whip down there, even though there is a speed limit,” said Mrs. Evans, of 4 Dingle Road.

  “You can’t see the cars coming and you have to be very careful.  You have to watch and listen all the time.  A car can appear and be on top of you in no time at all.  I want to see a crossing before a child gets knocked down and seriously hurt,” she said.

  But that is not her only worry.  Small children have a number of busy roads to cross to get to school – both infants and juniors.  The infants go to Tennyson Road and the juniors to Alfred Street School right in the town centre.

  “To get to Alfred Street school from this estate, they have to cross Irchester Road, Wellingborough Road, Fitzwilliam Street, Duck Street and College Street.  Wellingborough Road has two zebra crossings which are not too far out of the way, but Fitzwilliam Street is very steep and it’s dangerous,” she said.  “They also have to cross Irchester Road to get to the infants school.  I have just heard that there will be a lollipop man after half term.  You are half way there with a lollipop man but that is only during school time.  I want to see a zebra crossing,” said Mrs. Evans.