THE Ockment Community Centre has agreed to allow access through its building after angry parents petitioned against the closure of a 'safe' walkway to school at the rear of the premises.

More than 200 people signed a petition when the community centre erected gates to the primary school shortcut which has for the past three years meant that children could avoid busy roads to get to school.

Mother-of-two Lisa Moran said the children had to cross at least three roads to reach the school if they could not use the walkway.

'My son was in a wheelchair after an accident on North Street a year ago coming home from school and I would hate to see anything else happen there,' she said.

The walkway has also been used by the elderly, disabled and the firemen for a quick route from the centre of town to the fire station.

But staff at the centre said they had closed the walkway because of refurbishment work.

Centre manager Lindsey Svensson said: 'For health and safety reasons and insurance purposes we are not allowing any public access around the building.

'This is not a public right of way and there are other reasons for putting a barrier here.

'I am sick to death of clearing up dog mess and vomit, we have had £600 worth of windows broken in the last 12 months as well as incidents of arson and theft.

'We had to secure the site while the work is going on and we wanted a rest from constantly clearing up and spending money on work because of vandalism.

'But because we are sensitive to the problem anyone that needs to use the shortcut such as the children or the elderly can use the walkway through our building which will be open from 8.30am to 5.30pm.

'People using it as a shortcut will have to appreciate that centre users will be working and they will have to be quiet.

'There is no public right of way through our building but we are doing it to save any hardship. We do not want to alienate people.'

But Okehampton Fire Station officer Ian Donovan said the problem still existed for the firemen.

'We need to get to the station at certain times of the day and night when the Okement Centre is not open,' he said. 'Also, we are unable to use our bikes through this route as we have done in the past with the walkway at the rear the premises.

'I just wish consultation had taken place before anything was done.'

Mrs Svensson said the solution would be to create a new footbridge to North Street which avoided the Ockment Centre altogether.