A PUB in Horton Heath has offered it's car park to parents dropping off and picking up their children from school.

The Lapstone in Botley Road is not currently open as a result of the pandemic, but staff have offered the car park out to local schools as a Park and Stride.

Police have recently been forced to start patrolling areas outside nearby schools after dangerous parking across yellow lines and pavements has lead to children walking in busy roads to get around.

As a nearby business, walking distance from several schools, the offer of the car park has meant that parents can now park up and walk their children down the road to school, rather than having to drop them off at the side of a busy road.

Russell Kitching, the owner of the pub hear about the problem from teachers and the county council and now hopes other businesses in the area will offer their car parks in a similar way.

He said: "I think one thing that lockdown has taught us is that we should be looking to the community and local neighbourhoods more to support each other.

"Parking in dangerous positions is a risk to everyone.

"We open up at 7 in the morning and parents and guardians are allowed to use the car park and walk their children across to the school safely."

Russell doesn't know when the pub will reopen but hopes that when it does, parents will utilise the coffee shop at The Lapstone as well as the car park.

A statement by police read: "Please park sensibly to ensure we retain this much needed space. Thank you to Russell and his team."