ANGRY residents are to meet with council officials in a dispute over safety at a Darlington playing field.

They say the council has jeopardised safety by removing railings at the field in Green Lane, near Darlington Golf Club.

The railings border the busy Whinfield Road. Residents say there is nothing to stop a ball being kicked on to the road or a child wandering into traffic.

Eileen Shepherd, chairman of Whinfield Residents' Association, said: "The safety of our children is paramount and to remove these railings is beyond belief.

"A ball could now easily get on to what is a very busy road and a child follow it, and possibly be killed or injured."

Darlington Borough Council plans to replace the rusty railings with trees to act as a natural barrier.

But this has not satisfied residents, who are to have talks with council chiefs.

They plan to meet Terry Collins, the council's leisure services manager, at the site on Tuesday morning.