CHILDREN going to school are being forced to walk on the road because of overgrown hedges.

Now angry residents are demanding the hedges be cut back immediately.

They say the pupils have to run the risk of beeing involved in a road accident or have their faces cut on the branches.

Bill Collison has urged the council to trim the hedgerows along the side of Stoneclough Road, Kearsley.

Mr Collison, of Bolton Road, said: "Quite a few people are getting upset about this.

"It's not right that school children should be forced to walk in the road.

"If they walk on the pavement, they could get a sharp twig straight in their eye."

Mr Collison said the route is heavily used by pupils walking to George Tomlinson secondary school and Kearsley West CP.

The hedgerows were last cut early in the summer.

A council spokesman said: "We acted on a report we received several weeks ago about vegetation near the White Horse pub but since then have not received any more.

"If there is a problem on Stoneclough Road then people should contact our environmental management department as soon as possible."

But Mr Collison said: "That kind of response makes me angry. The council should have a programme of work to keep on top of these things.

"The public should not have to ring up before they come down and cut the bushes back."