Children and parents are being forced to risk life and limb negotiating a dangerous road without a crossing warden – and have been told he will not be replaced after his resignation.

Furious mums and dads say they cannot believe Staffordshire County Council has identified the Bellbrook Road near to its junction with Teddesley Road in Penkridge as a low priority.

The situation has been made even worse by the construction teams working on a small housing development next to Flames Restaurant, which means cranes, diggers and lorries parked along one side of the road obscure the view of those trying to cross.

Mother-of-three Mel Manley, whose children Morgan, aged seven, and Lachlan, four, attend Marshbrook First School, and Isobelle, 12, goes to Penkridge Middle School, said: “A lot of parents are disgusted. The council is having a laugh calling it low priority.

“I am 38 and know how to cross a road but was nearly knocked down the other day.

“It is a 30mph zone but a lot of cars go faster than that and it is used as a rat run. There are no traffic lights or a zebra crossing or any type of markings to give pedestrians priority.

“It is even more dangerous with the building work going on. You have to walk between trucks and can’t see what’s coming.

“One mum, Laura Stanton, spent 10 minutes the other day helping children who couldn’t cross on their own get to the other side. It’s a ridiculous situation.”

Marshbrook issued a warning to parents and pupils in a school newsletter of the loss of the warden and urged them to be careful.

Staffordshire County Council spokesman Tom Hobbins said: “The crossing warden resigned from his post and the patrol is considered a low priority so will not be replaced.

“Marshbrook School has been informed of this.”