Parents in Liversedge have won their fight to stop the public using a footpath through their children's school playground because of fears about their safety.

More than 100 parents at High Bank First School in Hightown signed a petition objecting to the path being designated a public right of way.

They were worried about strangers abducting their children and were supported by the school and Kirklees Council's education service.

The path runs between Windy Bank Lane and Fifth Avenue and is used as a short cut by the public to get to shops, a bus stop and to visit friends and relatives on the estate.

There are gates at either end which are locked during school hours but many walkers climb over them to reach their destination.

There is also a gate in the middle of the path which is manned and locked while the premises are being used by the nursery section.

Staff at the school constantly challenge the public trying to use the path and sent written statements to the Council to support their case.

Resident Allan Serjeant, of Windy Bank Lane, applied to the Council to get it officially recognised as a public right of way.

He was supported by ten other residents who sent written evidence to the Council saying they had used the path for up to 50 years and never been challenged.

But the highways and transportation committee has rejected the request and ruled in favour of the parents.

The objectors still have a right to appeal.

But Mr Serjeant said: "I am not going to appeal. I have been fighting to get the path made a public right of way for five years and I've had enough so I am just accepting the Council decision.

"However, I still think people will carry on using the path through the school because old habits die hard.

"There are signs up saying the path is not a public right of way but I can still see people walking through the playground from my window.''

The Council scoured old maps, deeds and legal documents to establish if the residents were right.

Footpaths officer Godfrey Lomas said: "Our map shows no way could have existed between Fifth Avenue and Windy Bank Lane before the school was built in 1974.

"This throws considerable doubts on the statements of people who claimed to have used the way for 40 or more years.''

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.