A motorist was shocked at schoolboys risking their lives crossing a busy dual carriageway where a youngster was killed seven years ago.

The boys, believed to be no older than 13 and wearing Leigh Academy uniform, appeared to run out in front of traffic in Princes Road, Dartford, during the morning rush hour.

Jenny Coxall said others walked slowly across the carriageway, and at one stage stopped in the middle of the two lanes as if waiting for approaching vehicles.

The 48-year-old, who captured the incident on a dashboard camera in her VW CC, said one pupil narrowly avoided being struck.

The incident occurred just after 8am on Wednesday last week as Miss Coxall was driving along Princes Road.

The road was the scene of a fatality in 2008 when an 11-year-old boy from Dartford was hit by a bus.

Miss Coxall, from Greenhithe, said: “A boy wearing Leigh uniform and no older than Year 7 or 8 ran out in front of me at the pedestrian lights, when they were on green for me.

"I was enraged because they have no idea the trauma they can put drivers through – what if that car had swerved and crashed?" - Jenny Coxall

“He had been standing with a group of Year 7s or 8s on the kerbside of the road and I wondered why he would do that, as he was now going away from the school and the decision to do that made no sense. He then ran across the two-lane carriageway in the direction of the BP garage and joined another bunch of boys.

“I have some video on my camera which shows the boy running out in front of me – luckily I wasn’t too close.”

Miss Coxall, who was on the school run herself, said she then watched in horror as she saw in her mirrors the other boys stepping into Princes Road from the kerb outside the petrol station, seemingly unperturbed by on-coming traffic, and then returning back to the petrol station side of the road.

She said: “One of the boys walked so slowly that I was convinced that one on-coming car was going to hit him.”

She reported the incident to the school, in nearby Green Street Green Road, and was told a senior member of staff would be sent to the scene.

Two years ago an 18-year-old suffered head injuries after he was hit by a lorry near the spot, and mum-of-two Miss Coxall said more needed to be done to make all children aware of the dangers.

She said: “Kids don’t realise the repercussions and consequences of their actions.

“I was enraged because they have no idea the trauma they can put drivers through – what if that car had swerved and crashed? What if he had hit the boy? Life is too precious to throw it away.”

As well as the pedestrian crossing, Miss Coxall said children had access to a designated footbridge built when the school site was occupied by the former Downs School.

“These kids will be well aware of the potential risks they are facing … and they will know deep down that they shouldn’t be doing it.” - Steve Horton, KCC road safety team

Steve Horton, road safety team leader at Kent County Council, said: “I think we need to increase the perception of the likelihood of their behaviour ending in something tragic and what this means for other people.

“How would that driver live with themselves if they hit them? Just imagine if that person was in your family network.

“These kids will be well aware of the potential risks they are facing… and they will know deep down that they shouldn’t be doing it.”

Julia Collins, principal of the Leigh Academy, said: “The Leigh Academy takes the health and safety of our students very seriously.

“We have a dedicated PSHCRE (Personal, Social, Health, Citizenship and Religious Education) programme which includes sessions and assemblies on road safety.

“We continue to work closely with the local community to ensure the safety of all.”