A PLAN to crack down on parents who park dangerously outside schools has been welcomed by headteachers.

Mini police officers have been placed outside schools in Barrow this week bearing warnings to drivers tempted to park in an ‘anti-social’ manner.

The signs include messages such as “Don’t park on the zigzags”, “Watch your speed” and “Do not park on the pavement”.

It comes after a number of schools warned parents that parking on zigzags and double yellow lines would not be tolerated because it was endangering the safety of pupils.

The parking signs have been rotated around the county and have spent this week in Barrow after previously being in Whitehaven.

Roose Community Primary School and Cambridge Primary School were among the locations for the warning signs.

Wendy Jacobs, the headteacher of Roose school, said she had repeatedly used a newsletter to parents to warn them to park safely on the road outside.

Mrs Jacobs said: “I think the mini police officers are a good idea and they worked well in stopping parents parking on the zigzags when they were here on Wednesday.

“I have warned people repeatedly not to park dangerously but it is the same people who do it.

“When you park on the zigzags infants can be hidden behind cars and when crossing the road they could hurt or something worse.”

The headteacher of Cambridge Primary School, where the signs were placed on Monday, gave a similar message.

Jenny Lavery said: “The safety and wellbeing of our pupils is paramount at the school and the signs are an example of how we keep them safe.”

Barrow Police’s community sergeant Caroline Milligan said the signs were being used to combat the problem of ‘anti-social’ parking at schools in the town.

Anyone spotted parking on the zigzag markings at the entrance to a school or on double yellow lines can receive a ticket and a £70 fine.

The signs are part of the police and crime commissioner’s Mini Police scheme.