A 'NEAR miss' between a car and pupil has spurred an Oxford school to shut its gates during the school run.

Sandhills Community Primary School wrote a letter to parents just before the Easter break, urging them to take care when dropping their children off and picking them up.

Headteacher Jane Settle told parents: "We have mentioned in our newsletter on many occasions that parents should not use the car park or the car park entrance area to turn in, in the mornings and afternoons, for safety reasons.

"There was a near miss last week involving a car and a child.

"We have therefore taken the decision to close the gates in the morning and afternoon."

Several other schools have taken similar precautions recently.

In January, Orchard Meadow Primary School in Blackbird Leys announced it would lock its gates earlier in the mornings due to safety concerns.

It wrote to parents noting the number of people on site in the mornings, and a need to reduce the risk of an accident.

Last week the Oxford Mail reported there had been 58 recorded incidents of children injured in collisions near Oxfordshire primary schools since 2008.

One councillor had suggested looking at a traffic ban at peak times outside schools, but this was opposed by a senior Oxfordshire County Council member.