A row erupted yesterday over the use of a child-sized coffin in a campaign for a pedestrian crossing.

About 40 mothers and children gathered with placards at the junction of Iffley Road, Donnington Bridge Road and Boundary Brook Road, while mother-of-one Elizabeth McHale, dressed as an undertaker in top hat and tails, carried a miniature white coffin across the junction.

The stunt, intended to illustrate the potential consequences if no action was taken on the road, was branded by some as distasteful and insensitive.

Kate Anderson, of Boundary Brook Road, was collecting her three boys from nearby Larkrise Primary School and said she was concerned about the impact it would have on Jane Barber, the mother of 13-year-old Eastern Bypass crash victim Josh Bartlett, who would be collecting her two daughters from the school.

She said: "It's not on. I'm really for a crossing, I believe in this, but this is not the way to do it. Jane would be really upset by it and if I was her it would crucify me to see it.

"This should have been discussed first."

Ms McHale defended her actions and said Ms Anderson had not understood her intentions.

She added: "The county council has said it will take a death before they do anything, so I stood there today to make everyone aware of the situation."

Mum Sue Frizzell, who attended with her six-month-old daughter Ruby, said: "It's very full-on and very dramatic but at the end of the day, that's the reality.

"This road will only get attention if we wait until a kid is killed and we're not prepared to wait for that."

The crossroads is used every day by parents taking their children to Larkrise or attending the Donnington Doorstep Family Centre.

Two children have been injured after being knocked down by cars in the past six months.

Oxford city councillor Elise Benjamin, who attended the protest, said the east area parliament had offered to pay the cost of a crossing even though it was not its responsibility, but had been told by the county council it was not a priority.

County council travel plans development manager Rachel Gover, said: "We've been looking at a range of proposals for the junction all of which have turned out to be potentially very costly, and likely to have a severe impact on congestion at peak times.

"The benefit to pupils at the school is also in question and as the school doesn't currently have an up-to-date school travel plan, we're now working with them to develop one and establish what improvements to the highway would be desirable and necessary."