A WORCESTER father fears his children's education will be

disrupted when building work starts on an early years' centre.

Lorries and other vehicles will cross the junior playground of Northwick Manor schools, cutting access to the sports facilities, in order to reach Northwick Manor Infants School.

The access road, between two houses in Millbrook Close, cannot be used because Worcestershire County Council has leased the land to the

homeowners.

"The LEA has legal access along that access road but for some reason have decided not to enforce it," claimed father Mark Pattison, of Eltric Road, off Ombersley Road.

"This is a ludicrous idea. If they've got powers to use the access road, why not use them?"

Mr Pattison's seven-year-old daughter, Emily, is already in the junior school and will be joined next year by her brother William, six.

The work, due to start in September and finish in April, 2002, has been made possible through the Government's New Deal for Schools.

"The governing body has written to all the parents telling us what will be happening," said Mr Pattison.

"In their letter they say they told the LEA it would be disruptive and there would be a safety risk."

Colin Weedon, head of educational policy at Worcestershire County Council, said the council had looked at the alternative, but had rejected it.

He added that the majority of the heavy work would be done during the summer break. Lorries would not be going through the land during school hours.

Worcester MP Mike Foster said a parent governor had told him about the perceived problem and he had already written to the LEA.