PARENTS in Darlington have been warned not to breach parking laws when dropping their children off at school or they face being prosecuted.

Police and traffic wardens in the town warned last night that they "would begin as they planned to go on".

Their plans to prosecute parents who park on double yellow lines or no-parking areas outside school, were welcomed last night by headteachers and Darlington Borough Council.

Acting Inspector Paul Robinson, of Darlington Police, said: "As schools in Darlington go back today, we are faced with the perennial problem of parents parking right outside the school gates, on double yellow lines or the zig-zag areas.

"This can be dangerous for children. Today we are going to be out and about in the town, ourselves and traffic wardens, paying particular attention to this problem.

"Very simply, we will be prosecuting anyone who we find contravening parking restrictions outside schools.

"We want to reinforce in parents' minds just how dangerous it can be to park outside schools where you are not meant to.

"We want to create a safer environment for our children. We are going to start the school year as we plan to go on."

Darlington Borough Council last night backed the police's plans.

A spokesman said: "It is no secret that inconsiderate parking outside school gates has caused problems.

"It is something that we have looked at and are continuing to look at. Our Safer Route to Schools policy has certainly improved the situation, and we would back any initiative which can help the problems caused by inconsiderate parking outside schools."

Harrowgate Hill Infant School headteacher Margaret Cunningham also welcomed the plan.

She said: "I do sympathise with parents. It can be difficult to get your children to school without driving them there, and particularly at our school, there is often little parking space.

"But it is very important that they park safely and legally. It is especially bad when some park half on the pavement and half on the road, blocking the pavement. That means some parents with pushchairs have to walk out into the middle of the road to get around them, which is obviously dangerous.