RESIDENTS in Oughtrington are hoping that some light can be shed on why new lampposts erected on a footpath leading to a primary school remained unconnected, months after they were put up.

The lamps were put on the footpath leading from Oughtrington Primary School to Oughtrington Crescent as part of work done for the Safer Routes To School Partnership, which encourages pupils to walk to school.

The path was resurfaced in the summer in time for the children to use when the winter came. But as the days got shorter, the lamps remained unconnected.

Frances Pardoe, of Oughtrington Crescent, who is head of the local Home Watch scheme, said: "It is very important that these lights are put in.

"We were all happy when we got the footpath resurfaced and the lights put in because we thought that the children would be safe when they were going back and forward to school and to Brownies or Scouts at the Oughtrington Community Centre.

"Now the contractors have done the work for the connection but nobody has come to connect the wires."

Initially an electricity point was to be put in at the school - but that has now been moved to the Oughtrington Crescent side of the path. Clr Sheila Woodyatt, chairman of the parish council, said that it was simply not good enough that the lights still do not work.

She added: "I am very annoyed by this because these lights have been up for months and it is not good enough that as we approach the shortest night, they have still not been connected."

l A spokesman for Warrington Borough Council said that it expected the lampposts to have been connected and to be working by the time the Guardian went to press yesterday, Wednesday.