ANGRY residents say their lives are being put at risk because of roadworks in a busy Darlington road.

People living in East Mount Road say that lorries and cars are having to mount the pavement to avoid gas mains work being carried out for Transco.

They are concerned that children walking to and from school at peak traffic times are most in danger.

Carole Gilmour, a mother-of-two, said: "You can be walking along and the lorries literally just come up behind you and mount the pavement, often at speed.

"They only have a tiny gap to get through because of the roadworks and the pavement is totally cracked from where they have driven.

"When my two go out on a morning I want to phone the school to make sure they have got there. Every time we walk out of our houses we are taking our lives in our hands."

Another resident, Margaret Branley, said a minibus that picks up her disabled son could not get near her house because of the roadworks and the number of cars parked along the road.

"The bus has to pick him up and drop him at the end of the street and I have to go and get him," she said.

"There are toddlers, elderly people and other disabled people on this road, and they are all at risk."

Her neighbour, Glen Crawford, said: "On a morning there are usually about 20 trucks mounting the pavement in as little as two hours."

Residents have complained to ward councillor Ray Flowers, who has promised to look into the matter.

A Darlington Borough Council spokesman said the essential work could not be carried out any other way but should be finished by Friday.

"We are going to put signs up which will clearly tell pedestrians to cross over to the other pavement," the spokesman said.

Neil Kirkby, from Enterprise, the company carrying out the work for Transco, said: "There is always some disruption, but we always try to keep it to a minimum.

"Transco and ourselves have already informed residents of the disruption and nobody has complained to us. The work will be done as quickly as possible."