CONCERNS have been raised over the flouting of Scottish Government coronavirus guidelines at school gates across Inverclyde.

A reader contacted the Tele to express her fears after seeing 'hundreds' of adults crowding together outside school as they waited to pick up youngsters from school and nursery.

The grandparent says she has been shocked by the lack of social distancing as people waited to pick youngsters up.

She mentioned problems outside Newark and St Michael's primaries but said that it was likely that the same scenario would be occurring in schools across the district.

The woman, who did not want to named, added: "I am not exaggerating when I saw I found hundreds of parents at the school gates with no social distancing at all.

"No one was wearing a mask.

"This is scary.

"I don't know a solution, apart from perhaps staggering times for end of the school day.

"I would suggest this could be an issue for all the primary schools where children need to be collected."

Inverclyde Council says staggered start times have already been introduced in some schools.

The local authority says that families are being regularly reminded of the national guidelines designed to minimise the spread of the virus.

They said they would not hesitate to intervene if the rules were not being followed.

A spokesperson for the council said: "Schools and teaching staff have been reinforcing the national guidance and reminding parents of their public duty to follow the rules at all times to protect themselves and each other against the spread of Covid-19.

"We’re constantly monitoring and reviewing existing procedures and will make changes if required.

"We’ve also put up banners and markings in and around schools and sent out messages on social media to re-emphasise the important health and safety advice.

"We’d like to take this opportunity to urge parents, and the general public at large, to continue following the rules."