CHILDREN are designing their own safety posters as part of a campaign to tackle 'illegal and dangerous' parking outside primary schools.

The initiative, devised by Darwen Neighbourhood Policing Team, is aimed at preventing motorists stopping illegally whilst dropping off and picking up pupils.

Officers are running a competition as part of the Steer Clear campaign - and children aged seven and eight can design a poster.

The campaign comes in response to a number of complaints from parents about drivers who park inconsiderately outside schools across Darwen.

The competition, which closes at the end of the month, will result in the winner receiving a bike donated to the police by Ewood Cycles, Bolton Road, Blackburn.

And the winning design will then be put up outside each primary school in the town to promote the campaign.

Sergeant John Cisco said: "We have had a moderate number of complaints but any complaint is a complaint too many when we are talking about young children.

"Parents dropping off and picking up their children from school are parking on zig-zag lines.

"They are creating a hazard.

"The Steer Clear poster competition for the campaign is a chance for children to express how dangerous parking illegally and inconsiderately outside school can be for them.

"The potential victims can drive the message home."

Anyone who would like to enter the competition can drop entrys into Darwen police station before November 30.