Mum Del Davies has launched a campaign for a safer walkway through George Lane car park in Marlborough to St Mary’s School after a pupil was nearly hit by a car.

The incident happened when a reversing driver only avoided the girl because her mother banged the back of the car with her hand to alert the driver to her daughter, who was walking to school along the designated yellow lined walkway through the car park.

After hearing about the incident Mrs Davies, whose seven-year-old son, Tom, goes to St Mary’s, was so shocked that she decided take action.

She said: “We are launching a campaign to improve road safety not just for children but all people walking through the car park so and we can get a safe walkway instead of one where we children have to walk in front of parked cars that reverse into the path.

“If you go down in the morning or at 3.15pm you just can’t believe it.

“I park there myself sometimes and you can’t see the children walking along the pathway. I have to have Tom looking out the back window telling me if anyone is coming.”

The 45-year-old, of Salisbury Road, has contacted the school, town council, Wiltshire Council and MP Claire Perry to get the campaign moving.

Anne Schwodler, headteacher at St Mary’s School, said: “We fully support the initiative. We’ve had several near misses.

"What we would like to see is a proper pathway by the river because at the moment it’s too dangerous for children to walk along.”

Marlborough town councillor Lisa Farrell has visited the site and she is now trying to find out if an official pathway can be put along the River Kennet.

She said: “When I went there with Del I couldn’t believe I hadn’t noticed it before.”

A spokesman for Wiltshire Council said: “We’re sorry to hear about this incident and we will review the situation in this car park. Residents are always encouraged to raise important issues through their local area board.”