THE mother of a 10-year-old girl knocked down outside her school is spearheading a campaign for a pedestrian crossing there.

Claire Milsom is calling for action after her daughter Jaye was thrown onto the bonnet of a car in the accident outside the gates of Newtown Primary School.

Parents, staff and school governors launched a petition on Monday calling for a crossing, collecting hundreds of signatures in the first two days.

Jaye was leaving an after-school pantomime club when the accident happened.

Mrs Milsom, 40, of Wesley Road, said her daughter was lucky to escape with cuts and bruises but the potential severity of the crash has spurred her into action.

The accident happened less than a week after a father and son were almost dragged into the road by a swerving car which caught the child's schoolbag.

Former school governor Elliott Turner and his eight-year-old son, Ieuan, were leaving Newtown's after-school nursery when a BMW swerved into them.

Mrs Milsom said the busy road is a potential death-trap for pupils, with a lollipop lady only covering peak hours.

"Jaye was trying to cross the road and one side of traffic stopped and the other side didn't.

"Luckily the car wasn't going very fast otherwise I don't think she would be here now. Jaye had a bruised hip, ankle and thigh and she was shocked and scared. When I got to her she was crying her eyes out."

Headteacher Sue Ivermee has warned all parents to collect children from school to ensure their safety. She said: "We have an average of 600 people going into and out of the school on a daily basis.

"My feeling at Jaye's accident is one of shock. It was the awful feeling it could have been much worse. It is a headteacher's worst nightmare. I have heard from a lot of parents."

Mr Turner, 47, said: "Cars go along in excess of 50mph. A bollard was knocked down just a few weeks ago. I couldn't believe it when the car swerved and hit my son's bag, it happened so fast."

School governor Dave Nichols said the two accidents had confirmed everyone's worst fears about the road.

The petition will be handed to Wiltshire County Council officers at the end of the school term.

A spokesman for the council said: "We will look seriously at the petition. However, the proposal will have to be considered against other priorities across the county and to see whether a crossing is the best and most appropriate way to address parents' safety concerns."