Partially-sighted Briony Greenaway has joined a 18 month-long battle to get pavements improved along Lickhill Road, Calne so she can walk to school safely in September.

The 11-year-old Fynamore Primary School pupil suffers from albinism, meaning she is only partially sighted.

Despite this, Briony has always strived to be independent and wants to be able to take the 45 minute walk to John Bentley School when she starts in September.

At the moment Briony, of Stickleback Road, would have to cross the road three times in order to get to the school putting her at risk of being hit by passing cars.

Mother Linda Walters says she doesn't drive down the street just after 3.30pm because youngsters have to walk in the road because of the narrow paths.

She said: "It's like the street that time forgot in terms of paving.

"The paths are far too narrow, in some places they just suddenly stop and there's no safe place to cross at all.

"I worry about the children that walk along there already but with Briony's partial sight, the street just isn't safe enough."

Briony will already be accustomed to the winding halls and rows of classrooms at her new school by the time she starts, after being guided around by a support officer.

This will be the same for her walk to school but until the pavements are fixed the youngster will have to rely on her mum or friends to help her there and back.

Mrs Walters said: "Briony will be 12 by the time she goes to secondary school. When she gets to that age she does not want me hanging around, she'll want her independence.

"It doesn't just apply to school either. What if she wants to go to the library or meet her friends in the town centre at the weekend."

Last year 450 residents signed a petition complaining about the dangerous state of the pavements on Lickhill Road.

As well as the narrowness of the path, there were concerns about a number of overhanging hedges, which also often force people to step into the busy road.

The pavements form the main walking route into the town centre, but pedestrians have said they are constantly forced into the dangerous road because the paths are just not good enough.

Mrs Walters says that motorists are now able to speed up the road because cars do not park there since double yellow lines were painted along the stretch.

She said: "When cars used to park there it was dangerous enough but at least they were forced to drive more slowly. Now because nobody will park there the cars race along.

"Why should Briony miss out on her independence when she could quite easily make the walk to school safely with the other children if the pavements were fixed?"