Shoppers have added their voice to calls for a new pedestrian crossing outside two schools and a family centre.

Children and families are worried lives are being put at risk by the lack of a safe way to cross Cuddesdon Way, Blackbird Leys.

The road is home to Orchard Meadow Primary School, Mabel Prichard School, Blackbird Leys Park and Cuddesdon Corner Family Centre. Now more than 50 signatures have been collected on a petition set up by campaigners outside the shopping parade in Blackbird Leys Road, in Blackbird Leys, on Saturday.

Blackbird Leys Parish Council chairman Brian Lester and county councillor Val Smith hope the signatures will persuade Oxfordshire County Council to install a crossing.

Mr Lester said: "We are very pleased with the petition so far. We had about 50 to 60 people in one morning.

"We want a pelican crossing or zebra crossing by the family centre over to the recreational facilities. There are a lot of families and children from the nearby schools who need a safe place to cross.

"A crossing would give people the chance to get across what is a busy road and has become a short-cut.

"Despite having humps in the road it is still dangerous. All it really needs is a young person or elderly person to be crossing the road and to get hit for everyone to ask why there isn't a crossing already there."

Anyone wishing to add a name to the petition can visit Cuddesdon Corner Family Centre or Orchard Meadow Primary School, in Wesley Close, where petitions are available to sign.

Mikko Enticknap, team leader at the family centre, said: "It's a good idea. As the petition says, there are lots of children crossing at busy times in the morning and afternoon when the road is busier at that time.

"The traffic humps keep cars going quite slow but there is potential for an accident, especially in the case of a child running out into the road."

Paul Smith, spokesman for the county council, said: "The council will receive the petition and study the detail of what is being requested."