SELFISH school-run mums and dads who endanger lives through their perilous parking could have their cars towed away under tough new measures.

Cops are set to seize vehicles belonging to parents who persistently clog up roads outside schools gates.

The no-nonsense approach follows a barrage of complaints from pedestrians and residents who say lazy parents are putting young lives at risk in Corringham and Stanford-le-Hope.

Police will target those who regularly park in the middle of the road, on pedestrian crossings and over resident's driveways while dropping off or picking up their youngsters.

Despite letters being sent out to offending parents the situation at several schools has reached crisis level, with police warning it's only a matter of time before a child is knocked down and killed.

Five schools in particular are being targeted by the crackdown.

It will see police officers and support staff visiting schools at peak pick-up times to warn dangerous drivers.

An official warning will last 12 months. If the same vehicle commits another breach it can be seized and towed away by police.

The release fee will be £105, plus £12 per day storage.

Insp Rachel Wood, area police commander, said: "We have had to do this as a last resort because there is a real danger of serious accidents.

"It may seem draconian, but many drivers have simply refused to co-operate.

"Mums with pushchairs have to walk in the road because pavements are blocked by cars, driving have also parked on zig zag lines and pedestrian crossing and carelessly parked vehicles of all sizes across residents' driveways. One some occasions streets with cars parked on either side have been blocked by people leaving larger vehicles in the middle of the road."

"Free and safer parking areas are available nearby, but it seems many people aren't prepared to walk.

"Officers will continue to respond in this manner until drivers get the message that their poor parking outside schools in not acceptable.

"It's just a matter of time until a child is seriously injured if they continue to be bloody minded and park inconsiderately."

The worst affected areas in Stanford-le-Hope are St Joseph's School in Scratton Road and Stanford-le-Hope Primary School in Copland Road.

In Corringham it's Gable Hall School in Southend Road, Abbots Hall Primary School in Abbots Drive, and Giffards Primary School in Queen Elizabeth Drive.

HEADTEACHERS at two of the affected schools say the police crackdown is desperately needed to curb the scourge of dangerous drivers.

John King, head of Gable Hall secondary school, said staff had recently resorted to locking the school gates to outlaw parent parking after a pupil was hit by a car at the school entrance. He said: "The pupil is fine now, but it was an accident waiting to happen.

"An overwhelming number of our students could easily walk to school. They don't need to be driven"

Linda Moore, head of Stanford-le-Hope Primary School in Copland Road, says parents continue to flout parking regulations outside her school, even though she's organised for them to park up at a nearby pub during the school run.

She said: "We have to lock the school gates at 2.40pm to stop parents clogging up our staff car park. They park against the gates so if there was an emergency an ambulance couldn't get through."