Boys and girls come out to play as Norwich street closed off to traffic

Children enjoy the freedom of playing in the street at Sandringham Road which was closed for Street Play. Hector Hanson, 3, left, and Oliver Mizen, 3, play hockey. Picture: Denise Bradley (Image: Archant)

Children from Sandringham Road, close to Earlham Road, were able to run, skip, scoot, jump and draw with chalk all over the road when they returned from school yesterday afternoon safe in the knowledge they would not be knocked down by a car.

That is because the road was closed to traffic between 3.15pm and 5.15pm in the first of a series of road closures to take place on the same street throughout the summer.

Families living in the area have applied to Norwich City Council for permission to close the road on one afternoon a month between now and September to allow children to play safely outside their homes without the danger of traffic weaving in and out of parked cars.

It follows a successful trial in September after people living there agreed to remove their cars and pay towards the cost of the closure.

The scheme has been warmly welcomed by children and adults in the area and is hoped might be taken up in other streets throughout the city.

Verity Hanson, 32, whose sister lives on the street, took her children Hector, three, and six-month-old Ida, along for some safe fun in the sun.

She said: 'It's an absolutely brilliant idea. I think every street should do it. It's nice to see everyone just playing for a while.'

Victoria McConnell, 34, who lives in the street with her children Mia, five, and one-month-old son Mose, said: 'It's really nice for the children and the adults to get to know the people they live next door to.'

Mia said her favourite thing was 'going really fast on her scooter'.

To find out how to apply to close a road for a play session log onto www.norwich.gov.uk/Events/Pages/StreetParty.aspx