Furious villagers are pleading with council officials to halt proposals to close two of its entry roads.

Businesses in Beckermet are outraged at the county council's plans to stop traffic using two of the three entrances into the village.

The controversial move, initially as a trial, hopes to stop the early-morning and afternoon rat-run when Sellafield workers avoid the congested A595, so cut through the village.

But many residents say these changes will only result in heavy traffic driving past the primary school and nursery, as the workers will instead use this entrance.

This, they say, will put the schoolchildren's safety at risk. And farm vehicles, heavy goods vehicles and fuel tankers will also be forced to travel past the school, rather than avoiding the heart of the village as they currently do.

Traders also fearing for their busienss, as they pick up much of their income from Sellafield traffic.

Iain Irving, of The White Mare hotel, said: "It's soul-destroying. All of the traffic is going to come off the A595 and down past the school and nursery before hitting a blind T-junction.

"It's dangerous as they're then going to use the road as a race track, as it will essentially be one-way.

"Our business is reliant on the community of West Cumbria, not just Beckermet, so we need access. If it does go ahead, it's going to affect us all badly."

Thomas Atkinson works at Beckermet Service Garage, along with his wife, Barbara, whose brother James Jacques, owns the business.

Mrs Atkinson said: "It's ridiculous. The village has always been like this. I have lived here for over 60 years and we depend on the traffic for our business. If we didn't have Sellafield there'd be nothing here."

She added that their fuel tanker offloads on the left-side, but as it will no longer be able to enter from the top of the village, it will be on the wrong side.

Farmer Ted Jenkinson said he avoids driving tractors through the village, instead driving through his fields from the top of the village to reach his property on Sellafield Road.

But the restrictions will mean that he has to now drive past the school and through the village, as there's no other way in.

He was also planning on opening a farm shop with an honesty box outside for passing trade, but fears now there will be no traffic.

The Temporary Traffic Regulation Order, agreed by the authority last November, will stop vehicles entering from Morass Road and Nursery Road, while Mill Lane will remain two way.

The Small Businesses of Beckermet, along with the village school and nursery, have written to the council asking it to reconsider.

Trudy Harrison, the Conservative candidate in the Copeland by-election, has visited the village to meet with the businesses, saying it made "no sense" to divert all traffic past the school.

If made MP, she said: "I will be challenging this decision because the local people think it's a bad decision and I believe the local people know their area best."

Nobody from the county council was available to comment, but a spokesman said last month: "An informal consultation was carried out by the local parish council during late 2016, prior to which Cumbria Highways had been approached in order to discuss possible options to reduce speeds and the volume of vehicular traffic travelling through Beckermet.

"Various traffic management measures were considered, including traffic calming, “gateway” entries and official traffic regulation such as “no entry” restrictions.

"Whilst the outcome of the informal consultation was mixed, we believe the suggested temporary restrictive measures will effectively mitigate the concerns raised by the parish.

"The TTRO has been introduced initially as a trial. During this period, traffic flows will be monitored, local views sought and collated with a view of establishing if the restrictions should be introduced permanently.

"All responses will be considered fully, before a final decision is formed by Cumbria Highways.''