FIREFIGHTERS issued a warning to parents to stop blocking roads near to a primary school.

A crew based at Colchester Fire Station took a fire engine into the Northfields development, off Turner Road, in Colchester, in order to prove how difficult they would find getting to an emergency if problem parents continue to block the road.

Leaflets printed by Queen Boudica Primary School were also given out to parents.

Craig Duncan, school head, said: "There is a difficult and sensitive balance to strike between keeping our pupils safe and enabling parents to pick up their children at the start and end of the school day.

"The design of the Northfields estate makes this particularly challenging and the presence of the fire engine is intended to remind the school community safety is the most important thing and it is necessary to find alternatives to parking outside the school gates as this is not a safe or sustainable arrangement.

"We are working with community partners to find solutions to this issue and having the fire brigade here is just part of a wider initiative to achieve this."

Martin Goss, borough councillor for Mile End, added: "It was a very successful initiative and certainly a lot of drivers were stopped and handed a leaflet.

Given how it went we’re planning to do it again but it will be a surprise as to when.”