WORRIED parents have expressed their anger after being forced to act as their own crossing guards to get their children to school across a busy Radcliffe road.

With the traffic lights broken on Ainsworth Road, near the Black Lane Post Office, parents have struggled to get their children to St Andrew's Primary School safely this week.

The lights have reportedly been out of order since Saturday night, with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) officials due to carry out emergency repairs yesterday.

A TfGM spokesman confirmed that the signal fault was caused by cable damage, with engineers at the scene yesterday to carry out excavation work.

The school has had its crossing patrol temporarily removed this month due to sickness absences and none could be provided on a short-term basis this week.

Diane Moran, whose children Benjamin and Olivia, aged seven and 10, attend the school, said: “Parents are having to stand in the middle of the road to get their kids to school – it’s dangerous.

“The traffic has been stopping for us, but often only on one side of the road. When it’s raining or a bit dark, drivers might not see us trying to cross.

“I think it’s disgusting that we’ve been left to find our own way across a busy road. I know they reduced the number of crossing guards and removed ours completely, but there should have been someone there to help this week.”

School staff reported the issue to TfGM on Monday and have sent regular text updates to parents warning them of the dangers of crossing the road.

A school spokesman said: “We reported that the traffic lights were broken at 9am on Monday morning, and we know they have been off since Saturday.

“We have sent texts out to parents to warn them that the lights aren’t working, so they must take extra care when crossing the road and not send the children out there by themselves.

“On October 2, we informed parents that there would no longer be a crossing patrol at the school until further notice.”

Stephanie Noden, who has two children at the school, added: “We have always had a crossing guard but because the traffic lights are there we weren’t classed as a priority when they reduced the number available.

“On Monday I saw one lady on crutches with a little girl pushing a pram, so I went out into the road to make sure they could get across.

“It’s not just mums and children being affected, it’s also the elderly people trying to get across to the post office. There was one old man there on Tuesday who was stood there for ages.”