MOTORISTS in a pretty County Durham village are being warned to park sensibly - or face paying up.

The parish council and police say dangerous parking in Heighington, near Darlington, is endangering lives, especially around the school and village shop.

One driver has already been told to pay up after being handed a £30 parking ticket and the council has written to parents of all the primary school pupils.

Heighington Parish Council is trying to improve parking in the village - and plans to build a car park near the school, which could be funded by the Football Foundation.

In the meantime, PC Julian Brown, Heighington's beat officer, is urging drivers to park considerately in Church View, Millbank and South View in the village.

He said: "People need to remember that parking on a bus stop is an offence, whether it is marked out or not.

"I don't mind making an example of some people with parking tickets," he said.

PC Brown patrols near the school regularly, urging parents not to park on double yellow lines, around blind bends or on the pavement.

Five years ago, Councillor Gerald Lee, who is on the parish council and Darlington Borough Council, joined mothers of children at the school to form an action committee.

Already, more lay-bys have been built, providing a drop-off area near the school, and a Parents' Charter has been created, which sets out an informal one-way system for parents to adhere to.

At the end of this term, Coun Lee wrote to all parents of Heighington Primary School pupils.

The letter said: "Despite the headmaster's input, the time and effort given by the action committee, the many letters I have written in the parish magazine and my talking to some offending parents personally, the problem, particularly in the afternoon, persists. It cannot and must not continue.

"Parents who drive their child to school must park their cars sensibly and preferably away from the school gates.

"I wish to make it known therefore, that I have asked the police to issue parking tickets."

The landlord of The Bay Horse pub in the village will allow parents picking their children up from school to use the car park.