AN EMERGENCY gate in Warndon Villages, Worcester, could be opened after a campaign by residents.

Mums in the area have been campaigning since 2002 to get an emergency gate at the bottom of Ankerage Green opened by the county council's Highways department.

And a recent letter has shown light at the end of the tunnel for the disgruntled parents, who say opening the gate would give them easier access to Lyppard Grange Primary School.

In a letter to Worcester MP Mike Foster, who has helped parents in their battle, sustainable transport officer Alan Couchman said they would need confirmation that a majority of residents would support the permanent opening of the emergency access.

"The existing grasscrete' surface would be slippery in wet conditions," he said.

"A 2m (6.6ft) wide 50m (164ft) long section needs to be re-surfaced to an acceptable standard. The gate could be replaced with drop-down bollards to retain the emergency access."

The gate itself leads from the Kettleby estate into Ankerage Green, and because it is locked, requires parents to walk back through the estate to a footpath in Mapit Place when dropping off and picking up their children.

In January, the Worcester News reported how department officers had discovered someone had used bolt-cutters to cut the chain keeping the gate closed.

Mr Couchman's letter to Mr Foster added: "Subject to agreement with all affected parties, the scheme would be scored along with other schemes when available funds are reviewed."