SCHOOLCHILDREN are dicing with death by playing ‘chicken’ with cars on the same spot where a teenager died just weeks ago.
Groups of youngsters, some thought to be as young as 12, have been spotted standing in the middle of a carriageway on Rodford Way and ducking out of the way of vehicles at the last minute.
The crazy ‘game’ is even more ludicrous as the youngsters are risking their lives just metres away from dozens of floral tributes to 13-year-old Daisy Witney, which are still tied to the railings outside the Abbotswood Inn.
Daisy, who was in Year 9 at King Edmund Community School in Yate, was killed on November 3 following a horrific crash. The youngster was crossing Rodford Way with a friend on their way to a half-term sleepover when she was in collision with a van.
Her parents, Mandy and Spencer, sister Sophie and brother Zac, from Badgeworth in Yate, and sister Keely Meek were left devastated at Daisy’s untimely death.
Hundreds of school friends turned out to her funeral and posted condolence messages on social networking websites and the entire south Yate community was united in grief.
A female motorist who was driving along Rodford Way last Monday evening said she had stopped to warn groups of children about the dangers of their antics.
The woman, who asked not to be named, said she was left dumbfounded at seeing them standing in the road.
"It was absolutely crazy," she said. "I drove past and stopped, wound down the window and shouted at them to stop it.
"I drove past again later and they were still playing chicken. It was ridiculous, right where that poor girl was killed.
"Just what on earth are they thinking."
Police are now warning parents to make sure their children do not become another statistic.
Acting inspector at Sodbury Police, Adrian Fallows, said: "This kind of behaviour is crazy.
"When incidents like a tragic death happen it really brings things to the fore.
"Although we have not been made aware of these kind of games, we will probably see an increase in calls from members of the public."
He said policing the problem was very difficult as youngsters simply run away on seeing blue flashing lights.
"Unfortunately, as soon as they see a police car they will run off," added Insp Fallows.
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