Protestors gathered near a Marlow school this week calling for a zebra crossing over a "nightmare" stretch of road.

Parents and children from Marlow C of E Infant and Holy Trinity schools joined councillors, police and residents asking for a crossing spanning Seymour Court Road - a notorious rush hour rat run route.

A petition for a new crossing has so far attracted over 500 signatures, with dad of three young children Chris Potter from Berwick Road dressing as a zebra for the roadside vigil.

He said: "It’s a real struggle managing to cross this road. We have to cross six to eight times a day. Nobody stops, and even if they do it’s dangerous. It’s a nightmare.

"People pass the speed camera further down and then speed up past here and also pick up speed coming down the hill, sometimes very fast.

"We have been walking the areas with the petition and have had overwhelming support. I thought we would be in the minority on this but we’re definitely not."

Mr Potter said efforts have been made in the past to secure a crossing but had failed, prompting the petition.

Pensioner and Seymour Court Road resident Gladys Ellary, who has lived on the road for 65 years, said she finds it difficult cross in her mobile scooter.

The 84-year-old said: "I definitely support this, I don’t like to cross this road because it’s so difficult. In town it is easy, but not here.

"I use the route to go to the doctors but I have to refuse doctors appointments at busy times of day because I know I can’t get there."

Seymour Court Road is a busy thoroughfare, used by parents taking children to two primary schools and a nursery.

Marlow C of E Infant School supports the petition, with teacher Emma Howarth saying it would encourage more parents to ditch the cars and walk their children to school.

Though falling within a 30mph limit, the road is renowned for drivers breaking the rules as they head in and out of Marlow on the outskirts of town.

Sgt Robin Hughes from Marlow Police Station helped support the parents' show of unity on Tuesday morning, with many passing drivers honking in approval at the group’s message.

The officer said he fully supported the call for the traffic calming measures on the, having clocked one driver at 57mph past the spot during a speeding operation late last year.

He said: "We support this - anything that promotes road safety. It has been an ongoing campaign for some time and it is an issue. It is a 30mph limit here and this would also act as a calming measure."

There are several other zebra crossings in Marlow, including one a few hundred metres down the road on Dean Street, but no formal crossings at all any further north.

County councillor Richard Scott, who also attended alongside parents, said it may be possible to fund a crossing through the Local Area Forum - a pot of council cash to spend on community projects.

He said: "I am supporting residents to see whether we can get this crossing. It’s a very fast road and very busy at rush hour.

"There is a process to go through and the petition is the first stage."

He added that the area would need to be fully assessed before deciding whether a zebra crossing would be feasible.

To sign the petition, visit www.crossing4seymour.co.uk