A ROAD safety group has repeated its call for action following an accident in Darwen which it says could have killed a number of schoolchildren.

Lower Darwen Road Safety Panel slammed Blackburn with Darwen Council after a cement mixer overturned close to Darwen Vale High School, in Blackburn Road, and landed on the pavement.

The accident happened last Thursday at the junction of the slip-road going to the roundabout at Junction 4 of the M65.

Although no-one was injured in the accident, which happened at 2.20pm, if it had occurred an hour later the pavement would have been full of schoolchildren. The pressure group said it had warned the council of the dangers of the junction six weeks earlier, in a nine-page report looking at traffic problems in that area and Lower Darwen.

Graham Carter, secretary of the safety panel, said: "Fortunately it happened shortly before the end of the school day. If it had happened at 3.20pm the area would have been full of pupils from Darwen Vale and could have ended in the slaughter of innocent people.

"This is a gathering point for young people when they exit Darwen Vale High School and often a place where the ice cream van parks.

"We presented our report to the council's highways department six weeks ago stating our concerns about local roads but for some reason they have not even bothered to acknowledge it or ask for meetings to discuss our concerns.

"Our worries over the motorway and A666 junction were on page one of our document and are shared by staff at the high school.

"We have notified the head of traffic police but have had no reply from them either, so as a last resort we have contacted the Chief Constable to see if we can elicit some form of response.

"It seems an act of absolute criminal neglect if we have to kill people before action is taken. Nothing but a total review of this junction is needed."

Adam Scott, director of regeneration at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "We have very little detail on how the incident in question occurred so it is too early to comment.

"We have, however, received a comprehensive report from the Lower Darwen Road Safety Panel which we are examining and will acknowledge in due course."