A MUM whose partially-sighted son starts high school next week is trying to raise awareness of the dangers of parking on dropped pavements.

Wendy Pitts, from Appleton, wrote a post on Facebook reminding people to think about where they park.

Her 11-year-old son Charlie depends on a cane to walk and uses tactile pavements to know where it is safe to cross the road.

Charlie will soon start at Bridgewater High School and Wendy is encouraging him to walk to school without her assistance.

The 11-year-old suffers from ocular albinism and nystagmus so his vision varies greatly from day to day.

When he is tired, his eyes move quickly from side to side which makes it difficult for him to see properly.

At the end of the school day he needs the tactile pavement to know where it is safe to cross.

The 38-year-old said: "Because he is transitioning from primary school to high school he is only just now getting to the point where is walking independently.

"We're seeing a massive difference now because we've always walked with him and now we're seeing it through different eyes.

"When we walked up Hall Drive on his transition day, it was horrendous, there were cars mounted up covering the dropped tactile pavement.

"I just don't think people realise how important the tactile pavements are for people like Charlie who rely on them to cross the road."

Wendy explained how the change in colour and surface of a dropped pavement automatically alerts drivers that there may be someone about to cross there.

If these are covered, Charlie must cross elsewhere and risks not being spotted by oncoming drivers if he emerges from behind a parked car.

While on a practise walk to school recently, the 11-year-old had a near-miss when he stepped out in front of a car.

Wendy said: "It was awful but it is the only way he is going to learn. Both Charlie and the driver dealt with it so well."

If there is a car parked on the dropped kerb, Charlie might step out somewhere more dangerous where a car is expecting him to be.

Wendy said: "It is important for him to have that independence, he is 11-years-old and doesn't want his mum walking him to school.

"He isn't walking miles to school but to him it is a massive distance. It is so important for him to live his life like any other young boy.

"Nothing holds him back and he is determined to lead a normal life."

Charlie works closely with the mobility and visual impairment teams at Warrington Borough Council and has come on leaps and bounds.

Wendy added: "I don't think people park on dropped pavements deliberately I just want to increase everyone's awareness of the huge impact it can have on certain people."

Charlie will be the first pupil at Bridgewater High School to use a cane but Wendy says that have been outstanding in accommodating his needs.

She said: "It'll be a learning curve for everyone but you just learn as you go.

"Stockton Heath Primary School were absolutely amazing with him, we were so lucky with sending him there."