Families in Rotherstone in Devizes are furious council bosses are spending £50,000 on extending a pavement in Bath Road that nobody wants when they haven't got a pavement on their own narrow street.

Families are terrified someone is going to be killed as their quiet little backwater turns into a rat run, especially at the section between two sharp bends at the cemetery where there is no footpath.

Motorists have been trying to avoid the queues of traffic on Bath Road and New Park Street for weeks and have taken the narrow road along Avon Terrace and into Rotherstone, along the side of Devizes Cemetery.

But the problem has been exacerbated by the Wiltshire County Council roadworks on Bath Road, which are likely to continue for at least another six weeks.

Devizes Mayor Don Jones, who lives in Rotherstone, said: "They would have been far better spending the money for that pavement extension that nobody wanted on improving things at Rotherstone, where people are at risk."

Simon and Amber Frost are among householders with young children who take their lives in their hands whenever they go out their front doors.

Mr Frost said: "It is just crazy around here. You can see how narrow the road is but the cars don't slow down. I am amazed at the size of the vehicles that use this as a short cut as well. I don't know what the answer is. There has been some talk of making it one way, but that would just make the traffic go faster."

The problem was raised at Devizes town council's meeting on Tuesday night and Coun Jones suggested increased lighting would help.

He said: "The problem is worst at the sharp bends near the cemetery.

"There is no pavement along the bottom end of the cemetery and the sodium lights down there are almost as old as we are.

"Drivers can't see pedestrians until they are almost on top of them."

Town councillors agreed to ask the county council highways department to look at street lighting along Rotherstone, Commercial Road and on the Green near the entrance to Devizes School.