FAMILIES on a private housing estate are urging the builder of their homes to replace their road before it causes a serious accident.

Residents of all 22 houses on West Park, in Shildon, have signed a petition calling for urgent action from developer Durham Homes.

They are sending copies of the request to Bishop Auckland MP Helen Goodman and highways officers at Durham County Council, who say the authority cannot adopt the road until it is completed.

Residents say they were promised a smooth top surface would be laid on top of the rough service road once building was finished and heavy construction vehicles did not need daily access.

But almost 12 months after the last house was completed they are still waiting.

Exposed manhole covers, high curbs and lose rubble have been blamed for damage to vehicles and children's cycling accidents.

Alan Boddy said: "Every other month we get in touch with Durham Homes and hear it will be done soon, but it isn't.

"It needs sorting out before a bad accident or winter when things when only get worse."

Most of the homes are occupied by young families who all say their children have fallen from their bicycle because they cannot avoid bumps and harsh edges in the street.

Many owners have faced costly garage bills to repair ripped tyres, cracked springs and other car damage.

The estate has gained such a poor reputation for the condition of its road that some taxi firms ask to meet passengers at the entrance rather than drive in.

And some families believe that car-proud friends and relatives don't visit because of the risk to their vehicles.

Paul Evans said: "Cars can be fixed, as expensive as it is getting to keep visiting the mechanic.

"The safety of the kids is the most important thing to us all, its a bad job when children cannot safely play outside their own homes.

"We've all been promised the builders' road will be resurfaced time after time, they are false promises and enough is enough.

"Durham Homes has a responsibility to the people who bought their houses to fix this as soon as possible."

David Edwards, a director of Durham Homes, admitted that work had taken longer than it should have done due to a wrangle with a contractor over utilities, although denied it had been as long as 12 months.

That was resolved in March, but further delays have been caused by the original surfacing contractors having moved off site. However, new contractors had now been appointed and work would start next week.

Mr Edwards said: "There will be somebody there on site, so they will definitely see some action."