PUPILS from Dorcan Technology College are risking their lives playing 'chicken' on a busy roundabout.

Children have been warned about their behaviour and staff are patrolling Dorcan Way to ensure they do not put themselves at risk.

It follows warnings from Coun Pete Brown (Lab, Dorcan), who alerted police after witnessing children dodging traffic to run across the newly-built roundabout at Eddison Park industrial estate.

He believes they were playing 'chicken', a game in which children dare each other to run across roads in front of oncoming traffic.

And branding their behaviour childish and irresponsible, he is demanding they stop before someone is killed.

"The repercussions of a potentially fatal accident to the families of these youngsters, and indeed any driver involved, could be totally devastating," he warned.

"I have notified the police and am waiting to hear back from the school's head teacher, but in the meantime I would appeal to parents to check that their children aren't playing this idiotic game.

"I have been fighting to make Dorcan a safer place for children for the last 23 years and the last thing I want to see is children deliberately endangering their lives like this."

Dorcan head Dr Scott Sissons said he was aware of the situation and had taken steps to ensure children know the seriousness of their actions.

He said: "We are very concerned by this. We have been talking to the children in assembly and staff are out on that stretch of road at lunchtimes and after school." Police spokeswoman Alvina Kumar said: "Our advice is simply don't do it.

"Playing on busy roads is not only foolish but extremely dangerous and anyone who behaves irresponsibly on the roads is putting their lives at risk and the lives of other road users."