Volunteers set up their own Ground Force team to tackle an overgrown lane near a primary school.

The lane, close to Blake School in Cogges, Witney, was picked out as a dangerous place by the winner of Oxfordshire's Safety Scout 1999 competition, ten-year-old Megan Grantham, who is a pupil at the school.

The path links Cogges Manor Farm Museum with its car park and then goes on to Witney.

Megan, of Oxlease, was chosen as the 1999 Safety Scout in an annual competition run by the police, fire and ambulance services.

The competition asked children aged between nine and 13 to identify a dangerous place, activity or occurrence near their home or school and to suggest what they thought should be done about it.

Megan told the Oxford Mail: "The lane was not only dangerous but harmful to the environment." She suggested that old and weak trees should be removed and the area landscaped, with better provision made for litter disposal.

She added: "A lot of children use the path to get to school."

Members of Oxfordshire Fire Service, Oxfordshire NHS Ambulance Trust and Thames Valley Police worked with officers from West Oxfordshire District Council to tackle the undergrowth.

Tree surgeon Paul Hodkinson, of Bletchingdon, spent a morning cutting down some of the bigger trees free of charge while Hewden Hire, of Long Hanborough, provided a digger to clear out ditches.

Megan said: "They've done a really good job."

Sgt Tony Norris, Thames Valley Police youth and school programmes officer, said: "We've opened the path up so people can now get a good view down it and don't feel intimidated. "Megan's ideas have helped reduce the fear of crime."

As part of her prize Megan went on a trip to Disneyland Paris with her family. Blake School received £1,000 worth of computer equipment.

The search for the winner of this year's Safety Scout contest starts in May, when Fox FM will broadcast the emergency services' top ten safety tips.

Story date: Saturday 18 March

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.