BURY South MP and minister for young people Ivan Lewis was expected to announce today new powers for headteachers to be able to close public footpaths across school land to protect pupils.
He was set to announce the measures on a visit to a school in Manchester today.
Many school playing fields are open to the public under ancient rights of way.
The new rules are expected to allow heads to apply to local authorities to shut the paths if they can show pupils are at risk from dangers including vandals and drug dealers.
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