CHILDREN in Leigh are being warned about the dangers of playing in quarries during the school holidays.

The warning comes from the Quarry Product Association, which operates six quarries in the area.

It stresses that although there are safety measures in place, children using quarries as a playground could be risking their lives.

Elizabeth Clements, from the company, said: "Quarries and marine aggregate wharves might seem to offer many of the attractions of an adventure playground, but in reality, lakes that look inviting to swim in are often very deep and icy cold. Large piles of sand may look like great places to tunnel, but can collapse and suffocate a child in seconds."

Other dangers include playing on machinery, climbing on steep rock faces and wading into quicksand. A particularly widespread problem involves children with motorbikes using quarries as scramble tracks.