THIEVES have stolen a £6,000 road safety sign used to help children cross a busy Teesside road.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has condemned the thieves.

The solar-powered road safety sign, which was installed six weeks ago as part of a borough-wide pilot scheme using eco-friendly technology.

The sign was dismantled from its site, near to Charltons village, on the A171, at some point during Thursday evening.

Councillor Mary Lanigan, the council's cabinet member for highways, transportation and planning, said: "I am furious at how anyone could be so stupid as to steal something like this. It's vandalism, it's theft and it can put children's lives at risk. Words almost fail me."

The sign was installed to warn motorists of the school crossing point for children walking to Lockwood Primary School, in Boosbeck.

Headteacher Grant Hopkins said: "We had been liaising with officers to get these signs to help us encourage more children to walk to school - and it's been working.

"Parents have a walking bus from Charltons and I'm sure they'll be shocked this has happened. It's just mindless and it's putting children at risk."

Coun Lanigan added: "The signs were a major step forward in terms of assisting in the reduction of the council's carbon footprint. And, more importantly, they provided a life-saving message at a location where our most vulnerable members of the community cross on a high-speed road."

Cleveland Police are investigating the incident.