PARENTS are campaigning for a hedge to protect their children from road pollution.

A fundraiser called the “Hedge Fund” is aiming to create a green barrier along the fence between Hove Junior School and traffic-plagued Portland Road.

The parents’ plan comes amid concerns about the air quality in the junior school’s classrooms which are just metres from the busy road.

Deborah Griffiths, 44, who has two children at the school, put the idea forward.

Speaking outside the school, she said: “The classroom windows and the doors are open most of the time – and I don’t even like standing here.

“The hedge seems like a logical solution as it is using greenery to block the particulates.”

The fundraiser, started by parent Lynsey Ridsdale, estimates the project will cost approximately £6,500.

It says: “We have performed some air quality measurements, and recorded PM2.5 levels of 40 ug/m3, some four times higher than the level considered the acceptable maximum.

“Expert advice has been sought and a plan based on this advice is to plant a hedgerow mainly of laurel.

“Laurel is dense and resilient, the large surface area of the leaves helping to capture traffic-borne pollutants.”

So far, the crowdfunded hedge has raised £50 of the £6,500 target.

However it has since received backing from ward councillors, Robert Nemeth and Garry Peltzer Dunn.

The Conservative pair, who are currently campaigning to bring more greenery to the area in general, are donating £1,000 each from the ward budget to see the hedge come to fruition.

Councillor Nemeth said: “I’ve been working with Deborah on this very worthwhile project from the outset and am delighted to announce that Cllr Garry Peltzer Dunn and I will be putting £2,000 from our ward budget towards the cost.

“We have five other tree schemes nearby in the pipeline and getting them all under way this year will be a huge boost for the Portland Road area.”

The West Hove Forum has also donated £500 towards the project.

Thankful deputy headteacher Niamh O’Shea said: “We are incredibly lucky that we have fantastic parents who want to make the school the most positive place for the children to learn as possible.

“One family, who are no longer with us, instigated a playground garden project and we are working on raised beds for every year group who will have an opportunity to work on them with gardeners.

“Deborah was very keen to work with the school to create the barrier from the pollution coming from the road.

“We are a city school, we can’t pick up sticks and move the country, so it’s fantastic to create this barrier.

“Our school’s position in local community is hugely important to us so this has been phenomenal.”

If you would like to donate to the fundraiser, visit www.bit.ly/2Ikha8c.