PARENTS are being warned that children are playing a dangerous game as the attempt to cross major roads in the region.

Cleveland Police has received a number of calls following incidents on the A174, A66 and A19 about youngsters attempting to cross them or playing on the central reservation.

On Tuesday, police received calls about girls playing close to the A174 eastbound near Lazenby. The girls were reportedly walking into the carriageway in an attempt to flag down cars. Officers located the girls, aged 13 and 14, and spoke to them. They will both be issued with antisocial behaviour warnings.

Earlier this month, police also received dashcam images sent in by a motorist of children in the central reservation of the A66 just after Teesside Retail Park. It is unknown whether these children were trying to get across the road.

Police received four reports of a similar nature between January and the beginning of April and a further handful of calls following the incident on the A174 last night.

Inspector Darren Breslin, from the Cleveland and Durham Specialist Operations Unit, said: “We can’t stress enough the danger that children are putting themselves in by taking risks like trying to cross major routes like dual carriageways. 

“Vehicles travelling at the speed limits on these roads are enough to kill in an instant and drivers may not have the chance to stop in time to avoid hitting someone.  

“We’re sending out messages through local councils to schools and to parents to ask them to ensure that their children are educated on road safety, specifically when it comes to major routes like these.

"No one wants to hear of a tragedy, especially if it could have been so easily avoided. It only takes one incident for someone to be killed.”